German Court Sentences 12 Nigerians Over Romance Scam Money Laundering

A German court in Munich has sentenced 12 members of a Nigerian organised crime ring to various prison terms for their roles in an international romance scam network and money laundering.

The Munich court convicted the men, who are aged between 34 and 55, after finding them guilty of involvement in online scams and laundering the proceeds of the crime. The convicts received prison sentences ranging from three years and four months to eight and a half years.

According to prosecutors, the perpetrators are linked to the Neo Black Movement of Africa, which is also known as the Black Axe confraternity, and they operated a wide international network. The syndicate used false identities online, such as posing as a United States soldier stationed in the Middle East, to contact their victims primarily via social media and digital dating applications.

The group built trust with the victims by feigning romantic relationships before requesting money for various fabricated emergencies, including medical bills, travel costs, or customs fees. The victims targeted by the group were mostly women, elderly people, or individuals living with disabilities.

The court heard during the proceedings how the funds obtained from these victims were funnelled directly to the Black Axe organisation, which is based in Nigeria but remains active globally.

German police arrested the 12 suspects in April 2024 during coordinated law enforcement raids carried out across Bavaria. The arrests followed a multi-year investigation that involved close surveillance by domestic intelligence agencies.

Authorities noted that many victims of the syndicate did not report the crimes due to shame and embarrassment over being manipulated. The case has highlighted growing international concern over romance scams tied to organised groups that exploit vulnerable individuals across borders through sophisticated online tactics and money laundering schemes.