US Arrests Nigerian, Four Others Wanted in Germany for Alleged €300m Fraud Scheme

Authorities in the United States have arrested five fugitives — including a Nigerian national — accused of participating in a major international fraud network that allegedly defrauded thousands of victims in Germany of more than €300 million.

The suspects were apprehended in California by the U.S. Marshals Service following a request from the German government, which is seeking their extradition to face charges.

Those arrested were identified as:

Medhat Mourid (Woodland Hills)

Andrew Garroni (Los Angeles)

Guy Mizrachi (Agoura Hills)

Ardeshir Akhavan (Irvine)

Tunde Benak (Irvine) — a Nigerian national

They appeared in a federal court on Wednesday.

German prosecutors allege the group operated a sophisticated network that generated millions in fraudulent recurring debit and credit card charges disguised as payments to fake merchants. The scheme reportedly involved keeping charges below €50 to avoid detection, while creating bogus websites accessible only through direct links to reinforce the deception.

Investigations suggest the network collaborated with some executives and compliance officers at German payment processing firms to approve the fake transactions, effectively creating a “shadow financial system” in the country. Several individuals linked to the payment processors have also been detained in Germany.

The U.S. Department of Justice said its Office of International Affairs worked with German authorities to coordinate the arrests and ensure extradition procedures were followed.

The coordinated operation included related raids and arrests across Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti, Central District of California First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, and U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces S. Serralta jointly announced the arrests.