Well. I would like to add few cents here....
Actually if payment was done via SWIFT network, it is quite easily to track it. And sender who is doing his job correctly (i.e. sending wires at the same dates as they write in admin screens, etc.) could easily provide proof.
Sender of such payment can ask from bank copy of swift message. And still value date can be in the future,
basically SWIFT message transmitted from sender bank to receiver bank within few seconds to 15-20 minutes depending on
correspondent bank accounts. So if receiver has good relationship with his bank, he could see incoming payment
in minutes... Not in days... And look what "value date" will be.
That's SWIFT message today is standardized and called SWIFT MESSAGE MT-103 ... So copy of this SWIFT message by CryptoXChange would clarify everything. And studying more about SWIFT system would actually help to find international wires, as if some of corr. banks by some reason not transferred to recipient because OF SOME ERROR IN ORIGINATING SWIFT MESSAGE, like wrong account number or wrong company name, this can be easily and quickly resolved.
The swift message copy usually costs between $0 to $25 and contains all required information, with stamp and signature from bank. This swift message - is like GPG-signed email, which can be lawfully enforced if banker screw things. This also negates rumors about "batches"... As even if you sent to your bank "batch", it will be processed message by message using MT-103 transfers. That's why wire costs so much... And wire is irreversible.
More about SWIFT:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_MT_103-23http://www.globalgrainsvn.com/GGSVN/MT103.htmlPlease read also this (so you will see how it looks like.... Quite different from these shitty online forms, isn't it ? Actually bankers take responsibility for the transfers... And will be liable by laws if they screw transfer...):
http://www.wallstreetfunds.biz/bankers/MT-103format.htmThat is from google... Usually banks don't copy whole message, but only part with amounts, value date, corr. banks, etc.
They could also put signature and seal on it (useful in case if you have to deal against receiving bank, and have proof that money were actually transferred there - with small and bad banks this works very well, as when they know that you have signed swift message on hands)
Another moment - this not looks like police investigations, as usually you'll get your wire as expected with slight delay, but then you'll likely be arrested when getting these funds. If claims that false passport was used are true for example, then receiving bank would cooperate and receiver of funds would be likely under investigation. If fake ID happened on side of receiver bank, they would perform further tracking until transaction would get to recipient. This is called "paper trail"... Knowing the details helps a lot to locate crooks and then their assets as well... However that may be expensive to perform large-scale investigations.
On other side - WME is running exchange services for years, and it seems that he would not risk with CLIENTS' money by providing fake ID. Putting $100k on fake ID is like complete nonsense today, as if it would be truly dirty money, which "launderer" would know of - he would provide real person with paying him about $500-$1000 for laundering, or this transaction would be structured in smaller pieces. Although it is strange - is that WME is actually same WME ? Because being 10 years in exchanges, and not asking first for proof of transfer via asking for swift message or other similar form for systems like ACH for US accounts or SEPA for EURs is quite strange. However other side seems to have ad-hoc behavior with multiple lies. It looks more like both operate in "gray" biz zone not knowing well what they actually do.
It looks more like CryptoX stopped their money either by their own investigation, without authorities involved or they simply decided to rob WME. Maybe that is "rob the robber" action... I don't know - it's all fantasy without CORRECT investigation by authorized and trained persons (i.e. investigators, experts, etc). But in case if they're just robbing money - many would think that they are nice target for robbery as well, as they would have difficulties to deal with police then, and simply bigger and more powerful robber could take their "bank". And that fact makes additional risk to it's users.
About "stolen bitcoins" - that's the question - who is the judge - stolen they or not ? That cannot be determined from blockchain alone. If exchanger claims the right to be judge - then - what reason to use that exchange ? Somebody pays you, and then cry on forum - oh - they were stolen, I haven't sent that payment... Is it legit to trust such claims at all ?
Isn't purpose of bitcoins was to fix this issue ? If you want refund ability - then go with VISA or paypal - they have it!
Say these "hacks" in exchanges - are they hacks or security exploits by owners or insider personnel, who just decided to steal some coins knowing in advance that it is coins and unlikely there will be any legal consequences, as I written above, that would likely happen if you for example steal money from bank account and wire it even to account with fake ID.
This also raises question - is it possible to trust using bitcoin exchange 3-rd parties that aggregate clients money and operate without tight law framework, that actually protects customers (i.e. maintaining liquidity, etc.) or bitcoin exchanges should be done more in p2p manner, making p2p transactions between persons using real banking institutions that has strict regulations.
Thanks for your attention!
2 Bigpiggy01: If customer wants to disclose his private information - he could, and he could authorize doing that.
