The United States has arrested five international fugitives, including a Nigerian-Canadian man, over their alleged roles in a massive €300 million fraud scheme that targeted thousands of victims in Germany.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, the arrests were made at the request of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is seeking to extradite the suspects for prosecution.

The suspects were identified as Tunde Benak, a Canadian national of Nigerian descent, and four U.S. citizens — Medhat Mourid of Woodland Hills, Andrew Garroni of Los Angeles, Guy Mizrachi of Agoura Hills, and Ardeshir Akhavan of Irvine, California.

They were all apprehended by the U.S. Marshals Service in the Central District of California and have made their initial court appearances as extradition proceedings begin.

💶 The €300 Million Scheme

German prosecutors allege that the suspects helped create a network of fictitious online merchants that processed millions of small, recurring charges on victims’ debit and credit cards — often below €50 — to avoid detection.

These transactions were allegedly processed through German payment service providers, whose executives and compliance officers are also accused of participating in the scheme.

According to investigators, the fraud not only siphoned millions from unsuspecting consumers but also led to the creation of a “shadow financial system” within Germany’s payment processing sector.

⚖️ Coordinated International Operation

The coordinated arrests were the result of a joint operation involving law enforcement agencies from the United States, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Cyprus, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, and U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces S. Serralta announced the arrests, emphasizing that the U.S. acted under its treaty obligations with Germany to assist in the extradition of the suspects.

“Pursuant to its treaty obligations, the United States located and arrested the fugitives in the Central District of California for ultimate extradition to Germany,” the DOJ statement read.

The Office of International Affairs (OIA) of the U.S. Justice Department also played a key role, working closely with German prosecutors to ensure compliance with U.S. legal standards for the arrests.

The defendants now face extradition to Germany, where they will be charged for their alleged involvement in one of the largest payment fraud schemes ever uncovered in the country.