Five alleged leaders of the **Black Axe** cybercriminal organization will make their initial court appearance in New Jersey following their extradition from South Africa. The unsealed 2021 indictment details a decade-long scheme involving lucrative romance scams and money laundering. **Perry Osagiede**, **Franklyn Edosa Osagiede**, **Osariemen Eric Clement**, **Collins Owhofasa Otughwor**, and **Musa Mudashiru** are all facing wire fraud and money laundering charges. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. ### The Cape Town Connection Originally from Nigeria, the five men are accused of operating the Cape Town branch of **Black Axe**, an organization that has been a focal point of international law enforcement efforts for over five years. They were arrested in South Africa in 2021 and extradited on September 11, appearing before U.S. District Judge **Michael Shipp** in Trenton, New Jersey. Prosecutors allege that **Perry Osagiede** founded the Cape Town chapter and spearheaded its efforts to target U.S. residents. Court documents reveal evidence of explicit discussions among the group about romance and fraud schemes, with Osagiede reportedly sharing sample messages and tactics used to coerce victims into sending money. ### Modus Operandi and Laundering The group primarily targeted victims on social media and dating websites, employing aliases and various communication apps to build trust and manipulate individuals. The Department of Justice also stated that the criminals frequently resorted to threatening to leak sensitive photographs if victims refused to comply with their demands for money. **Perry Osagiede** also allegedly managed several South African companies used to launder the illicit funds. In some cases, victims were even persuaded to open separate bank accounts for the scammers. Prosecutors have traced some of the laundered money back to both romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) schemes. ### Broader Law Enforcement Efforts **Stefanie Roddy**, Special Agent in Charge at the **FBI**’s Newark office, characterized **Black Axe** as a “notoriously violent transnational criminal organization.” She urged any potential victims to come forward. The criminal complaints include extensive lists of the fake identities employed by the group. U.S. law enforcement agencies, in collaboration with **Interpol** and other international governments, have been actively working to dismantle **Black Axe**. Just two weeks prior, **Interpol** announced the arrest of 58 individuals across 22 countries, some of whom provided money laundering services and website domains to the organization. Additionally, Swiss and German authorities arrested 10 suspected members of **Black Axe** during raids in April. The **Treasury Department** recently reported that an estimated $12.7 billion has been stolen from Americans through overseas romance and investment scams since 2023, highlighting the significant financial impact of such criminal enterprises.