Some suspected criminals from Nigeria have been arrested in Germany.
DW reports that the alleged gang members used fake identities online and extorted money from victims after gaining their trust and promising marriage.
They are said to be Nigerians who have lived in Germany for many years. The police announced the arrest of eleven syndicate members, the Black Axe, during nationwide raids.
The police raids were on 19 properties in total. They included homes and refugee shelters.
The gang members are between the ages of 29 and 53. They all belong to the criminal gang Black Axe, whose members are estimated to be around 30,000 worldwide. The gang is reportedly disguised as a charity and operates under the auspices of the Neo-Black Movement of Africa.
The police said Black Axe strongly influences Nigerian politics and public administration.
The police also said the scammers’ deception schemes amount to a “modern-day form of marriage fraud.”
The fraudsters created fake profiles on social networks and dating platforms where they gained victims’ trust and promised marriage after requesting money. The fraudsters transferred money from fraudsters to Black Axe in Nigeria through financial agents.
In the region of Bavaria in 2023, there were 450 dating scams, and the victims lost about $5.7 million
