Black Axe, a Nigerian fraternity now an international criminal organization, has been discovered to have infiltrated Irish banks and IT companies with its members.
Iris Sun reported that for the organization to successfully launder over 14 million Euros, which were the proceeds of various fraudulent schemes, the organization sent people to the Irish institutions to help move the funds, most of which were in cash. These funds were realized from the organization’s global operations, which include romance fraud and other fraudulent schemes.
The source revealed that “The Black Axe gang are massive, and they sent hundreds of people to Ireland to facilitate their scams.”
Black Axe Infiltration Plot Exposed
The most recent statistics released by the Irish bureau revealed that between January and May, a total of 31 instances of fraud were recorded, resulting in a loss of €812,715 for the victims.
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The Garda, Ireland’s economic crime bureau, has identified more than 400 potential perpetrators as part of Operation Skein, an investigation into worldwide invoice-redirect fraud in the country. Additionally, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Interpol, close to one hundred people have been taken into custody.
“They send people here to open accounts, work in banks and firms that can help them launder the proceeds of their criminality.”
How they Orchestrate the Scam
It was further revealed that 23 out of the victims were female, while the other eight were male victims. It was further revealed that most of the victims were said to have met the fraudsters on dating sites. as well as applications.
It is believed that Giuseppe Diviccaro, an Italian man who is 45 years old and is known by the nickname The Banker, was working for the Black Axe in the scheme. Irish authorities have arrested him on suspicion that he was involved in the scheme.
A report affirmed that he is currently being held under gangland legislation, and the Gardai have also frozen €100,000 in bank accounts and seized €35,000 in cash during their investigation. Additionally, it was discovered that the individual had possession of an Irish passport, a South African passport, and a Nigerian passport when it was recovered.
How Giuseppe Was Arrested
On every occasion but one, the victims met the con artists through online dating services or mobile dating applications.
Later on, Giuseppe Diviccaro, 45, one of the gang’s most important associates in Ireland, was put behind bars for his role in various online scams. The gardai were contacted by Hungarian police last year regarding a fraud involving the theft of $4,000 that a woman had sent to a bank account that was registered in Ireland.
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In addition, the investigators discovered that the account had been credited with a total of 46 payments from 12 individuals hailing from Germany, Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Poland. Meanwhile, Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan of the GNECB warned those who use social media, urging them to exercise caution.
The Ireland Police Chief announced that “People who open accounts or allow their accounts to be used by these professional gangs should also realize that they can face very serious charges, including money laundering.”
Police Nabs Other Con Artists
Meanwhile, three Nigerians have been sentenced to prison by Ireland’s Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for defrauding a 66-year-old Irish radio personality out of €304,000. (about N130 million at the moment).
Under the pretence of a business transaction, the fraudsters, who the Irish police suspected of working for Black Axe, a Nigerian-based confraternity, defrauded the Irish woman.
In November 2019, the trio set up a fake Plenty of Fish account under the name “Neil Turner” and began corresponding with the woman.
The group claims to have a business dealing in oil and gas off the coast of Cork.
Within a few days, the con artists began pestering the woman about sending money to help “Turner” with his scam. ‘Turner’ had been told he would receive a huge inheritance, and this was their reply.
Over the course of six months, the Irish woman sent ‘Turner’ over €254,000. A further €50,000 was borrowed and given to ‘Turner.’
When the woman started to get the feeling that something wasn’t quite right, she called the National Economic Crime Bureau, and they were able to link the fraudster’s profile to the three Nigerian men who were in Ireland.
Omowale Owolabi, age 31, a resident of Navan, County Meath, confessed to stealing. Raak Sami Sadu, 32, from Clonsilla, Dublin, has confessed to participating in a fraudulent conspiracy. And Samson Ajayi, 33, from Grangerath in the county of Meath, admitted to engaging in the illegal activity of money laundering.
Owolabi was sentenced to three years and three months in prison, Ajayi was given a sentence of two and a half years, and Sadu was given a sentence of three years.
