A Munich court has jailed 12 Nigerian nationals after finding them guilty of participating in an international romance fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted vulnerable people through social media and dating platforms.
The convictions conclude a major German prosecution involving organised online romance fraud, highlighting how criminal networks exploit victims emotionally before laundering illicit proceeds through international financial channels. They follow an earlier German police crackdown on suspected Black Axe members, reflecting the authorities’ sustained effort to dismantle transnational fraud networks.
Court hands down lengthy prison terms
According to the Munich Regional Court, the convicted men, aged between 34 and 55, received prison sentences ranging from three years and four months to eight years and six months.
The court found they played various roles in an international fraud operation that combined online romance scams with the laundering of criminal proceeds.
Prosecutors said the group systematically targeted victims by creating fake online identities designed to gain trust before requesting financial assistance for fabricated emergencies.
Victims deceived through fake relationships
Court evidence showed that members of the network frequently posed as people living or working overseas, including US military personnel stationed in the Middle East.
Using these fabricated identities, they established contact with victims on dating websites and social media platforms, gradually convincing them they were involved in genuine romantic or personal relationships.
Once trust had been established, victims were persuaded to send money to cover fictitious expenses, including medical treatment, travel arrangements and customs fees.
According to the court, those targeted were predominantly women, elderly individuals and people living with disabilities, groups considered particularly vulnerable to emotional manipulation and online fraud.
Prosecutors trace funds to alleged crime network
Investigators told the court that money obtained from victims was transferred to the Neo Black Movement of Africa, also known as Black Axe, which German authorities describe as an international organised crime network with operations extending beyond Nigeria.
Prosecutors said the laundering process moved proceeds from the romance scams through multiple financial channels before reaching the wider organisation.
German authorities have intensified efforts in recent years to dismantle transnational cybercrime and online fraud networks operating across Europe through coordinated investigations with domestic and international law enforcement agencies. Similar cross-border cooperation has featured in Interpol-led cybercrime operations across Africa, which have targeted phishing, business email compromise and online fraud.
The convictions follow coordinated police raids carried out across Germany in April 2024 after several years of surveillance and intelligence gathering by German security agencies.
The raids resulted in multiple arrests targeting suspected members of the network believed to be involved in online fraud and financial crime.
At the time, Bavarian police said many victims had never reported the scams because they felt embarrassed about being deceived into believing the fraudulent relationships were genuine.
Authorities have warned that underreporting remains a significant challenge in combating romance fraud, allowing organised criminal groups to continue targeting victims while avoiding detection. The convictions also come amid wider efforts to tackle cyber-enabled fraud, including the prosecution of foreign nationals convicted in Nigeria for cybercrime offences, illustrating the increasingly international nature of online financial crime.
German investigators continue to encourage anyone who believes they have been targeted by online romance scammers to report such crimes promptly. The case underscores the continuing challenge facing law enforcement agencies as organised criminal networks exploit online relationships to target vulnerable people while moving illicit proceeds across borders.
