Two Nigerians linked to Black Axe jailed for €6 million fraud in Ireland

Two Nigerians, Elike Francis Ogbuefi and Steven Silvester, both reportedly “heavily linked to the Black Axe international crime syndicate,” have been sentenced to prison in Ireland for orchestrating a €6 million fraud scheme.

According to Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the men were described in court as “directors of a criminal gang” involved in “a worldwide, highly sophisticated money laundering scheme on a breathtaking scale.”

Elike Ogbuefi, 42, from Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin, received a nine-year prison sentence, while Steven Silvester, 32, from Paddocks, Morristown, Newbridge, Co Kildare, was sentenced to seven and a half years.

The sentences followed a lengthy investigation by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, which uncovered the men’s role in laundering over €6 million through a series of scams, including romance frauds and smishing schemes. Their operations spanned multiple accounts and jurisdictions, highlighting the transnational reach of the criminal network.

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Court records and police reports indicate that the duo’s activities were part of a broader pattern of organised crime tied to Black Axe, with the frauds exploiting victims across Ireland and beyond.