‘Thugs go after the vulnerable, I got convicted but saw no cash' says blackmailed money mule as teens targeted by gang
A special investigation by The Irish Sun today tells how young people — aged between 17 and 22 — have been used by the Black Axe crime gang as part of their efforts to launder €84million through Irish
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Young people have been used by the Black Axe crime gang
Credit: Garda Info
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Funmi Abimbola was a facilitator for the gang
Credit: COLLECT
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Giuseppe Diviccaro posed as a fashion photographer in Ireland to help run a Europe-wide fraud scam
Credit: COLLECT
Those in the sights of the mob include people with addiction issues, individuals who are homeless and those who come from broken homes.
But others include those who have to pay off drug debts, the children of millionaires and top students.
They have blackmailed kids to act as money mules after obtaining intimate images of their targets.
The online criminals — classified as 'master manipulators' by
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Once interest is shown, the fraudsters outline how the money will be paid if they can have full access to the target's bank account.
And that's exactly what happened to 'John', not his real name, when he agreed to act as a 'money mule' for the infamous
Investigators believe the money mule was recruited by one of the gang's main 'herders' in Ireland.
The top criminal has since been arrested by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau and remains a key target under 'Operation Skein'.
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At present, the mob is classified by Interpol as an 'ultra violent cyber crime gang' with more than 30,000 members.
'John' spoke exclusively to The Irish Sun after he received an 18-month suspended sentence for money laundering.
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He told us: 'I was duped by these people and wish I could turn back the clock.
'I was homeless at the time and got this Snapchat message offering me €500 in exchange for my bank account details, and I thought it was easy money.
'I have never been in trouble in my life and never once thought that doing something like this was a form of money laundering.
'I was vulnerable and that's why they targeted me — and I never received any payment.
'I WAS DUPED'
'I was duped by these people and I would urge anyone not to respond to requests of this nature.'
John was contacted on Snapchat and agreed to hand over his personal bank details.
Once obtained, €49,500 then landed in his account. Two other young men were also targeted by the same 'herder' and laundered €14,900 in one account and €7,500 in another account.
He also handed over his bank card and PIN number after he was instructed to meet one of the gang's associates in Dublin.
SPENDING SPREE
One week later, the cash was gone as the criminals went on a spending spree, buying designer clothes and electronic devices.
But it wasn't until the following year when details of the huge cash lodgement was uncovered by Gardai.
A probe was launched by investigators from the DMR South Serious Crime Unit at Sundrive Road Garda Station after they were contacted by Interpol.
On that occasion, Interpol suspected that the cash had been stolen from a machinery company in Hungary using an 'Invoice Redirect' fraud.
HOW SCAM OPERATES
The scam operates by fraudsters cloning the emails of legitimate companies and asking the firm in Hungary to send payments to a different account in Ireland.
But, after identifying the fraud, the firm supplied Interpol with the bank account details of where the money had been sent.
The information was later passed to Gardai.
Once Gardai received details of the bank account, they established John's identity and then analysed the account, identifying any other transactions.
ADMITTED GUILT
John was arrested by Garda detectives on August 8, 2023 and admitted his guilt.
He later pleaded guilty to a money laundering offence and received a fully suspended 18-month sentence, on March 14 of this year.
John added: 'I am now in a good place and just want to get on with my life.
'I would also have no hesitation in going into schools and telling the young people there about my own experience.
'STAY WELL AWAY'
'If young people engage with these fraudsters then it could seriously affect their future — my message is to stay well away.'
Det Supt Michael Cryan confirmed money mules were an 'integral part' of the major crime gang.
The senior officer said: 'Individuals need to realise that if they act as a money mule, they are interacting with vicious transnational organised criminals.
'You owe them and they control you. If the money is frozen by the bank, they have been known to demand that you pay up yourself — like drug dealers.
US HAS 'HARSH SENTENCING'
'The money mules have no idea what their account will be used for, how much or where it was stolen. If stolen in the USA, they may look to extradite you there to charge you and sentencing is very harsh there.
'They also need to realise that they are helping organised crime gangs who traffic humans, who run brothels, as well as funding their lavish lifestyles.
'People who get involved in this are destroying their own futures because they could go to jail, end up with a criminal record and be prevented from getting jobs.'
As part of 'Operation Skein', Gardai have identified 1,100 people connected to the Black Axe gang in Ireland.
OPERATION SKEIN
They have also made 565 arrests, prosecuted 300 people and cautioned 39 juveniles.
Over 50 senior members of the gang have also been arrested here.
Our revelations on the gang come after Innocent 'Lucky' Aigbekaen, 31, from Dundalk, Co Louth, became their latest member to be jailed here in November 2024. The conman — who used the name 'Nino Blanti' — recruited money mules and laundered €331,623 through Irish accounts.
Bank worker Funmi Abimbola, 26, from Rosse Court Terrace in Lucan, Dublin, who was a facilitator for the gang, was jailed for three years in October last year.
Also caged was Italian conman Giuseppe Diviccaro, 48, who was locked up in 2021 after he posed as a photographer in Ireland to launder €200,000 through Irish accounts.
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Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan said money mules were an integral part of the crime gang
Credit: Brian Lawless/PA
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Some €84million has been laundered through Irish banks
Credit: Getty
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The mob has blackmailed kids to act as money mules
Credit: Paul Sharp - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin
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