Worldcoin Operator Secretly Investigated Over Alleged Bribery in Thailand and WLD Price Manipulation

Sam Altman-co-founded Tools for Humanity (TFH) operates Worldcoin, now known as World, using Orb iris scans to create World IDs and distribute WLD. TFH entered Thailand in 2025 and collected iris data from about 1.2 million people. Any bribery of officials through its local partnerships could violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and undermine trust in biometrics, crypto assets and corporate governance.

Business Insider reported on June 22, 2026, that TFH hired Sidley Austin, O’Melveny & Myers and BDO in 2025 to separately investigate its Thai operations and internal finances. Senior executives were accused of making six- to seven-figure U.S. dollar payments to offshore companies to boost WLD. The token was then trading at about $0.61, down 95% from its 2024 peak. TFH said it had severed ties with its Thai partners and found no evidence of FCPA violations.