I'm new, so I'm forced to post it here. Maybe anybody can copy&paste it at least to the following thread:
"Bitcoin Forum > Economy > Marketplace > Service Discussion > Bitcoin-24.com matching engine seems broken, site down".
Simon, the owner of bitcoin-24.com just explained on his facebook-page last night's hot wallet-activity:
---------
1. The transcations of today were requested withdrawals.
2. It was NOT a bitcoin-24-staff-member who sent the 465 btc to the hot wallet, but some user, for whatever reason.
So the pending withdrawal transactions were started automatically afterwards.
---------
A state of the Unon adress by myself
Simon is facing hard times atm. The criminal investigation department of the city of Bremen forced the bank to block the Euro-account in Poland.
There are 3 lawyers - one of them a lawyer of Mt.Gox, too - working to get things cleared.
Simon has held out the prospect that withdrawals in all currencies - except for EUR - could be managed asap, since it came out, that only the EUR-account is blocked; they're working right now on a specific withdrawal page and wait for instructions of their lawyers.
The trading engine had no significant problems until the day of the shutdown. The virulent video, on which transaction-doublings etc. are shown, is fake - according to Simon he contacted the user, checked his account and nothing extraordinary was found there.
Last but not least:
If - I say IF - the German authorities happen to realize the dimension of their action and decide to get Simon involved in a money laundering-trial, my urgent proposal would be for the bitcoin-24-users to unite and organize a coordinated defense. Otherwise it could take months if not longer to get the money back from the then closed accounts.
Stand by Simon, folks. I don't know him personally, but I'm finally convinced that he's a good guy, by far not a criminal. He's a young idealist facing a bunch of shit right now, and he's doing all day (and night) long what he can to clear things up.