Enorense Izevbigie, a Nigerian national and alleged leader of a global internet fraud syndicate tied to the Black Axe criminal network, has appeared in a U.S. federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, after being extradited from South Africa. The 49-year-old, also known by the aliases Richy Izevbigie and Lord Samuel S. Nujoma, faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Izevbigie’s extradition follows his arrest in October 2021 in Parklands, Cape Town. U.S. prosecutors allege that he spearheaded schemes involving romance scams, advance fee fraud, and money laundering from at least 2011 until 2021. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey, the operations were conducted under the auspices of the Neo-Black Movement of Africa, also known as Black Axe, a group headquartered in Benin City, Nigeria, with chapters, or “zones,” operating in various countries.
Court documents revealed that Izevbigie led the Cape Town zone of Black Axe, where he and his associates used fake profiles on social media and dating websites to lure victims in the United States into fraudulent relationships. The victims, believing they were romantically involved, were manipulated into sending money and valuable items overseas, often to South Africa.
Prosecutors further allege that the conspirators employed voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) numbers to communicate with victims and used coercive tactics, including threats to release sensitive personal photographs, when victims hesitated to send funds. In some cases, victims were convinced to open U.S.-based financial accounts, which the group then used to transfer illicit proceeds.
The scheme allegedly extended beyond romance scams, with funds laundered from business email compromise schemes and other fraudulent activities. To disguise the origins of the money, the conspirators reportedly created business entities and used multiple aliases.
The charges against Izevbigie are severe. Each count of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a similar prison term, with a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered property, whichever is greater.
While Izevbigie has been detained pending trial, his co-conspirators remain in South Africa, awaiting extradition to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger praised the cooperation of South African authorities, including the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks), the National Prosecuting Authority, Interpol, and other agencies, in facilitating Izevbigie’s arrest and extradition. “The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in securing Izevbigie’s extradition to the United States,” Sellinger said.
Izevbigie appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne J. Bongiovanni on Monday. As the legal proceedings move forward, the case underscores the international efforts to combat organized cybercrime and bring perpetrators to justice.