More than €14 million in cash was laundered by the “Black Axe” group; which specializes in romance fraud and other con games.
The Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, in collaboration with Interpol and the FBI, has identified over 400 criminals under “Operation Skein”.
Further, the report reveals that 100 arrests have been made.
One source said: “The Black Axe gang are massive and they sent hundreds of people to Ireland to facilitate their scams.
“They send people here to open accounts, work in banks and in firms that can help them launder the proceeds of their criminality.”
Latest gardai stats show that between January and May of this year; 31 cases of romance fraud were reported with a total loss to the victims of €812,715.
Twenty three of the victims were female and eight male; with the average age of the women 44 and the men 47. The oldest victim was 69 and the youngest 27.
In all cases except for one, the victims met the fraudsters on dating sites and apps.
One of the gang’s main associates in Ireland — Giuseppe Diviccaro, 45 — was later caged for his role in online scams.
In a scam last year, gardai were contacted by Hungarian police on the trail of $4,000 sent by a woman to a bank account registered in Ireland.
Furthermore, investigators found the account had received 46 payments from 12 people from Germany; Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland and the UK.
Meanwhile, Det Supt Michael Cryan from the GNECB warned people on social media to be careful.
The Ireland Police Chief said, “People who open accounts or allow their accounts to be used by these professional gangs should also realise that they can face very serious charges, including money laundering.”
from thesun.ie
This one is good news. In Nigeria we have many bankers who are con men, defrauding accounts of the dead or those that come to claim thier inactive accounts with lots of money inside, I am sure it also happens abroad.
ReplyDeleteYou think it’s easy to defraud the account of a dead customer or inactive one???
DeleteSo when the person comes to reactivate what will the banker say or when the family of the deceased comes with letter from the probate court and transactions where made after the persons death what will the account officer explain???
Some of u see bankers as thieves meanwhile most fraud on pples Acct are carried out by their cls family member or fraudulent websites or even dubious POS agents .
Almost all videos of ATM withdrawal cases I ve seen is the face of the persons child or househelp .
Some clone their cards , clone sims and even delete alerts
Nigeria to the world! I'm speechless😔😔
ReplyDeleteWhere did you see Nigeria? Abi we don begin to bear Italian names?
Delete9ja to the world indeed 🙆🙆🙆
DeleteAnon 09:58, "Nigerian fraud organization 'Black axe' sent individuals to work for banks and IT companies in Ireland". This is it
DeleteOne Italian only compared to Nigeria's hundreds. Nigeria can't dodge this L.
Delete"The Black Axe gang are massive and they sent hundreds of people to Ireland to facilitate their scams"
Ogaoooo..
ReplyDeletePeople no wan work again..na to dey scam others of their hard earned money remain now...
It is well oooo
Motivated by greed, materialism and wickedness
DeleteA lot of Nigerians have this criminal element in them ..They are never content they want money to oppress their fellow mates this is a fact ...Even those who cry that they want a better country to thrive when the get there they dont just keep the law an do the right thing they be looking for ways to cheat the system by claiming false in formation and all ...this is what makes the country bad even the ones crying immediately become as wicked as their oppressors when they get to that position ..in this abroad Im always very careful about my association with nigerians not because of pride but to make sure you dont get roped into a situation you never bargain for from those who are criminally minded and dont want an honest days work
ReplyDeleteGod bless u for this comment. 9 in 10 Nigerians are into fraud especially in Dallas. That’s why I don’t keep any one around me period.
DeleteYou are correct o
DeleteThank you, someone I know very well was trying to rope me into participating in the ppp loan. These people forged tax documents and papers and got loans. What this person didn't know was I was warned from home too to be careful of him because he is criminally minded. Everytime you talk with him it is about how someone makes 25k monthly and how that is the kind of pay he wanted to be making and not this peanut salary.Nothing wrong in making good money legitimately but not with all the dubious business ideas he is always bringing forward and how he bought this he tares of land,all names oh.this is someone that is not up to 5 years in US. Anyways,I ran the ppp loans through my no Nigerian friends, and they told me how you shouldn't take IRS money even if you have legal papers for it. Cos you might misuse it and can't pay pack but be rest assured they will come for you.o and behold, they didn't lie. IRS is hell bent on getting all the money they dished put back. Even if it takes them years,they will get it back and if Care is not taken, you might end up in Prison .
DeleteHow are we sure Nigerians are involved now? once dog get a bad name, na hang remain!
ReplyDeleteRead the article. Again.
DeleteThe proceeds and people involved are way too many.
ReplyDeleteSimilar arrests likely to sweep through Europe. I overheard one criminal looking guy talking about being flown to Germany and staying in a house for months to do things like this. Saw something similar in another documentary.
ReplyDeleteBe very intentional and cautious with the Nigerians you interact with abroad. Bad eggs are up to no good.
The new generation of youth are worst than some of the old ones they are campaigning against.
Delete