The US Attorney’s Office has lauded SA’s law enforcement agencies, including the NPA, the Department of Justice & Constitutional Development, and the Asset Forfeiture Unit, for their assistance in bringing the six alleged members of Black Axe to book and onto US soil, where they could face more than 50 years’ imprisonment.

The Saturday Star notes that a week ago, the group, which is believed to be part of an organised criminal network and was wanted by US authorities in connection with charges of wire fraud and money-laundering, was officially extradited.

The extradition was facilitated by the Hawks in collaboration with Interpol SA, and the men were handed over to officials from the FBI and the US Secret Service. 

The US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey applauded SA and Interpol for their assistance in this case.

‘The alleged members of Black Axe believed that operating behind electronic devices thousands of miles away would place them beyond the reach of American justice. They were wrong,’ said US New Jersey’s District Attorney Robert Frazer.

‘Black Axe is organised into regional chapters known as ‘zones,’ and the defendants were all leaders within the Cape Town Zone in SA. Perry Osagiede founded the Cape Town Zone of Black Axe and worked as its zonal head.

‘From at least 2011 through 2021, the Black Axe defendants and other conspirators worked together from Cape Town to engage in widespread Internet fraud involving romance scams and advance fee schemes,’ the statement noted.

It added said the wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges each carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250 000.

Full Saturday Star report

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While US prosecutors say the Cape Town Black Axe network spent years conning victims online, the accused say they belonged to a legitimate group called the Neo Black Movement, not Black Axe.

News24 reports that an unsealed indictment in the US sets out a seemingly bureaucratic organisation with regional ‘zones’, and formal titles such as ‘chief butcher’.

Before the Hawks arrested the alleged leadership of the criminal group Black Axe in Cape Town, a senior figure in the organisation was already warning members to stop flaunting their wealth and drawing attention to what he called ‘bad money’.

An unsealed indictment from a US court shows that, according to prosecutors there, members of the Cape Town ‘zone’ of the group ‘openly discussed fraud schemes among their membership’.

Full News24 report