The United States has arrested five international fugitives, including a Nigerian national, at the request of Germany, in connection with a €300 million fraud scheme that targeted thousands of victims and created a shadow financial system in the European country.
The suspects, identified as Medhat Mourid of Woodland Hills, Andrew Garroni of Los Angeles, Guy Mizrachi of Agoura Hills, Ardeshir Akhavan of Irvine, and Canadian national Tunde Benak of Irvine, were apprehended in California by the U.S. Marshals Service and made their initial federal court appearances on Wednesday.
According to German authorities, the group allegedly operated a sophisticated scheme that created millions of recurring fraudulent debit and credit card charges disguised as payments to fictitious merchants. The transactions were deliberately kept below €50 to avoid raising suspicion among victims.
The fraudsters also set up fake websites accessible only through direct links or unique URLs to support the deception.The network allegedly collaborated with German payment service processors, including their executives and compliance officers, to ensure the fraudulent payments were approved. Some former employees and executives of these German-based processors were also detained. German prosecutors say the conspiracy ultimately created a parallel “shadow financial system” within the country.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked closely with German authorities to coordinate the arrests and ensure the legal requirements for extradition were fulfilled. The operation coincided with related arrests and searches in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore.
The suspects could face charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, each carrying sentences of up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
Stay informed about the latest developments affecting Nigerians in the diaspora!
Follow us for more updates:
facebook.com/TheNidm
www.thenidm.com
#FraudstersBusted #GlobalCrimeFighting
