Spanish police disrupt Black Axe, arrest alleged leaders in action spanning four cities | CyberScoop<\/title> <meta name=\"description\" content=\"The criminal organization specialized in business email compromise scams and generated billions of dollars in criminal proceeds annually from many small-scale operations, officials said.\"> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/black-axe-disruption-arrests-spain\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spanish police disrupt Black Axe, arrest alleged leaders in action spanning four cities\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The criminal organization specialized in business email compromise scams and generated billions of dollars in criminal proceeds annually from many small-scale operations, officials said.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/black-axe-disruption-arrests-spain\/\"> <meta 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tabindex=\"-1\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--top ad--top-mobile\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section id=\"stickybar\" class=\"stickybar stickybar--newsletter js-stickybar\" readability=\"0.82\"> <button class=\"stickybar__close js-stickybar-close\" aria-controls=\"stickybar\"> <svg class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"26.183055975794\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.425531914894\">\n<ul class=\"single-article__eyebrow\">\n<li class=\"single-article__category\"> <a class=\"single-article__category-link\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/black-axe-disruption-arrests-spain\/\"> <span>Cybercrime<\/span> <\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> The criminal organization specialized in business email compromise scams and generated billions of dollars in criminal proceeds annually from many small-scale operations, officials said. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/87380\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-2.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption> A coordinated law enforcement operation that fanned out to Seville, Madrid, Malaga and Barcelona significantly disrupted the group\u2019s activities, according to Europol. (Courtesy of Europol) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"27.5152\"><body readability=\"56.820436507937\"><\/p>\n<p>Authorities <a href=\"https:\/\/policia.es\/_es\/comunicacion_prensa_detalle.php?ID=16763\">arrested 34 alleged cybercriminals<\/a> in Spain, including some leaders of Black Axe, a transnational criminal organization responsible for adversary-in-the-middle scams such as business email compromise, money laundering and vehicle trafficking, the Spanish National Police said Friday.<\/p>\n<p>A coordinated law enforcement operation that fanned out to Seville, Madrid, Malaga and Barcelona significantly disrupted the group\u2019s activities, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europol.europa.eu\/media-press\/newsroom\/news\/34-arrests-in-spain-during-action-against-black-axe-criminal-organisation\">Europol<\/a>, which supported the takedown alongside officers from Germany.<\/p>\n<p>Officials targeted the organized crime network\u2019s leadership and froze $139,000 in bank accounts. Police also seized $77,000 in cash, five vehicles and devices allegedly used for criminal activity.<\/p>\n<p>Europol described Black Axe as a highly structured, hierarchical group that generates billions of dollars in criminal proceeds annually from many small-scale operations spanning dozens of countries. The group\u2019s leaders, including 10 people arrested last week, are Nigerian nationals, authorities said. <\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Spanish National Police began investigating the group, which specializes in corporate fraud through business email compromise, in September 2023. Black Axe used an extensive network to conceal their money and recruited money mules throughout Europe to receive, transfer and withdraw funds from the scams, officials said. <\/p>\n<p>The group also allegedly established shell companies to acquire vehicles and then deliberately defaulted on payments before renting or selling the vehicles. Europol investigators estimate Black Axe is responsible for more than $6.9 million in fraud. <\/p>\n<p>Black Axe was involved in other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, human trafficking and prostitution, kidnapping and armed robbery, officials said. <\/p>\n<p>The Spanish National Police said four of Black Axe\u2019s main leaders remain in custody and face charges for aggravated fraud, membership in a criminal organization, money laundering, document forgery and obstruction of justice.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\" readability=\"3.6894409937888\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"14\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Matt Kapko\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Matt Kapko<\/h4>\n<p> Matt Kapko is a reporter at CyberScoop. His beat includes cybercrime, ransomware, software defects and vulnerability (mis)management. The lifelong Californian started his journalism career in 2001 with previous stops at Cybersecurity Dive, CIO, SDxCentral and RCR Wireless News. Matt has a degree in journalism and history from Humboldt State University. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":8250,"date":"2026-01-12T17:13:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T23:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=87380"},"modified":"2026-01-12T17:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T23:13:14","slug":"spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2026\/01\/12\/spanish-police-disrupt-black-axe-arrest-alleged-leaders-in-action-spanning-four-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Spanish police disrupt Black Axe, arrest alleged leaders in action spanning four cities"},"content":{"rendered":"