Alexandre Arenales launched UniverTeam in late 2013, listing its primary corporate address in Balio, Portugal. A secondary address in Hong Kong appears to function as a virtual office, a common setup for businesses without a physical presence in that location. Arenales previously worked as an "Executive Director" for Multiclick, a Brazilian Ponzi scheme.
His start date with Multiclick remains unknown. However, YouTube videos show him promoting the scheme, with uploads dating back over a year. Multiclick operated as a Ponzi scheme, mirroring the model used by TelexFree. It promised returns for daily online advertising.
Investors paid between R$600 and R$2750 for positions. They were told to post daily online ads for Multiclick, in exchange for monthly returns of R$160 to R$800. Regulators in Brazil's Acre state shut down TelexFree in June 2013. Many of its former investors then moved to Multiclick.
Multiclick reportedly attracted around 300,000 investors, primarily from Brazil and Portugal. Regulators later froze the company's assets. Beyond its Ponzi operations, Multiclick faced allegations of money laundering and embezzlement. Regulators stated they had alerted authorities in the US, Venezuela, and Europe to the company's activities.
Multiclick challenged the asset freeze in court, claiming the regulatory investigation was "a mistake." A November court decision not only upheld the initial freeze but expanded it. The new order applied to all Multiclick bank accounts and management assets. It also barred the company from enrolling new investors.
Multiclick offices were raided later that month. The legal case against the company remains active. The extent of Alexandre Arenales' investment in Multiclick is unknown. One month after Brazilian regulators raided and closed Multiclick, he launched UniverTeam in Portugal.
Other executives listed on the UniverTeam website also previously worked as Multiclick affiliates. Antonio Leite, UniverTeam's CFO, appears with Arenales in a Multiclick marketing video. Another Multiclick promotional video shows Arenales alongside Francisco Vegas, now listed as UniverTeam's "Venezuelan President." It is probable that most, if not all, of UniverTeam's executive staff were involved with Multiclick, either directly under Arenales or as senior Portuguese affiliates.