German authorities announced yesterday the arrest of 11 individuals believed to be members of a Nigerian mafia group accused of orchestrating a large-scale dating scam.
The alleged perpetrators, associated with the Black Axe gang, were engaged in various criminal activities, with a particular focus on dating scams and money laundering within Germany, according to a statement released by Bavarian police.
Describing the dating scam as a “modern form of marriage fraud,” law enforcement officials revealed that the fraudsters used false identities to establish relationships and subsequently solicited money from their victims under false pretenses.
Funds obtained through the scheme were funneled back to the Black Axe group in Nigeria through financial intermediaries, employing a commodity-based money laundering method wherein products, often purportedly for charitable purposes, were purchased and shipped to Nigeria.
The extent of the scam is significant, with approximately 450 cases of romance scamming reported in Bavaria alone in 2023, resulting in damages totaling 5.3 million euros ($5.7 million), police disclosed.
The suspects, all Nigerian nationals aged between 29 and 53, were apprehended during nationwide raids conducted on Tuesday. Law enforcement officers executed searches at 19 locations, including residences and asylum shelters.
According to authorities, the Black Axe gang operates with strict hierarchical structures under centralized leadership in Nigeria, with different territorial units carrying out criminal activities. The group wields considerable influence over politics and public administration in Nigeria, police added.
