A German court has sentenced 12 members of a Nigerian organised crime syndicate to various prison terms for their roles in an international romance scam and money laundering operation that targeted vulnerable victims across several countries.
The Munich court handed the convicts, aged between 34 and 55, prison sentences ranging from three years and four months to eight years and six months after finding them guilty of participating in a criminal network that defrauded victims through online romance scams before laundering the illicit proceeds.
According to the court, the syndicate operated by creating fake identities, including posing as United States soldiers deployed in the Middle East, to lure victims through social media platforms and dating applications.
The fraudsters allegedly manipulated their targets into believing they were in genuine romantic relationships before requesting money for fabricated medical emergencies, travel expenses, customs duties and other fictitious needs.
The court said the victims were predominantly women, elderly persons and people living with disabilities, who were deceived into transferring large sums of money.
Investigators said the proceeds of the fraud were channelled to the Neo Black Movement of Africa, also known as Black Axe, an organisation based in Nigeria but with operations spanning several countries.
The convictions followed a major crackdown by German authorities in April 2024 after years of investigations and surveillance conducted by law enforcement and domestic intelligence agencies.
During the operation, police arrested several suspected members of the network.
Bavarian police had said many victims failed to report the scams because they were embarrassed about being manipulated into sending money to people they believed were their romantic partners.
The latest convictions mark another significant success in Germany’s efforts to dismantle transnational cybercrime syndicates involved in romance fraud and financial crimes.
The report was first published by AFP.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
