šØ FIVE MEN EXTRADITED TO NEW JERSEY IN ALLEGED INTERNATIONAL ROMANCE SCAM OPERATION š»š°āļø
Five men were extradited from South Africa to face federal charges in Trenton for an alleged decade-long internet fraud operation. Prosecutors say the group used romance scams and business email schemes to steal money from victims across the United States.
TRENTON, NJ ā Five men extradited from South Africa are facing federal charges in New Jersey over an alleged international internet fraud operation that prosecutors say targeted victims in the United States for roughly a decade.
Federal prosecutors allege the defendants were leaders of the Cape Town Zone of Black Axe and worked with other individuals from South Africa between 2011 and 2021 to conduct romance scams and other fraudulent schemes.
The defendants are identified as:
š¹ Perry Osagiede, 57 š¹ Franklyn Edosa Osagiede, 42 š¹ Osariemen Eric Clement, 40 š¹ Collins Owhofasa Otughwor, 42 š¹ Musa Mudashiru, 38
All five are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Some of the defendants also face additional wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.
š ALLEGED ROMANCE SCAMS
According to prosecutors, some victims were allegedly manipulated into believing they were involved in romantic relationships with people who eventually requested money or other valuables.
Investigators say victims were sometimes told that the person they were communicating with was traveling or working in South Africa and had encountered an unexpected financial emergency. Prosecutors allege some schemes involved claims about construction projects, crane problems or other situations requiring immediate financial assistance.
In some cases, prosecutors allege victims who resisted sending money were threatened with the release of sensitive photographs.
š» OTHER ALLEGED SCHEMES
Authorities also allege the defendants participated in advance-fee fraud and business email compromise schemes.
Prosecutors say conspirators used U.S.-based financial accounts to move money to South Africa and, in some instances, persuaded victims to establish accounts that could allegedly be accessed or controlled by the conspirators.
āļø EXTRADITED TO NEW JERSEY
The five defendants were arrested in South Africa in 2021 at the request of U.S. authorities. They were extradited to the United States on September 11 and were scheduled to appear Monday in federal court in Trenton.
The charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
š² Garden State News Network will continue following this federal case as it moves through the New Jersey courts.