A coordinated operation between the Hawks and US law enforcement authorities saw the arrest of alleged leaders of a large Nigerian syndicate, The Black Axe, in Parklands, Cape Town on Tuesday, October 19.
According to a statement by the HAWKS, eight foreign nationals aged between 33 and 52 were arrested for Internet scams, Money Laundering and international wide-scale financial fraud in Cape Town. Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the operations were initiated based on the Mutual Legal Assistance from Central Authorities of the USA that was approved by the Republic of South Africa.
“The indictment indicates that the suspects in South Africa, Cape Town were defrauding victims in online/social media scams (dating scams), internet fraud and money laundering. The suspects in this investigation are alleged to have ties to a transnational organised crime syndicate originating abroad,” Mogale said.
Mogale further mentioned that the suspects allegedly preyed on victims, many of whom are vulnerable widows or divorcees who believed that they were in a genuine romantic relationship, but were scammed out of their hard-earned money.
“The suspects used social media websites, online dating websites to find and connect with their victims. Other modus operandi used by the suspects includes business email compromise, where email accounts are diverted in order to change banking details.
“They assumed fake names and trolled dating sites. Once they had ingratiated themselves with their victims, they allegedly concocted sob stories about why they needed money,” Mogale added.
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The suspects will appear at the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Wednesday, October 20.
Meanwhile, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of USA estimates that more than 100 victims lost more than 100 million rands in romance scams from 2011 until present.
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