Deadly Payback: Another Cameroonian Fayman and Ivorian Accomplice Slain in Scam Revenge Plot

Local sources say the two were targeted and killed by victims of their schemes — commonly referred to as mougou — in what appears to be an act of vigilante retaliation. The suspects in their murder have not yet been named, but Spanish authorities are reportedly treating the case as premeditated homicide.

Ngono and Coulibaly were identified as self-styled “chemical engineers” in monnaie noire or “black money” operations — a scam that involves convincing clients they can transform stained banknotes into real currency using a secret chemical process. According to investigators, the victims of one such operation — having lost tens of thousands of euros — arranged a fake meeting to ambush the pair. They were never seen alive again.

This latest killing echoes a troubling pattern, coming just weeks after the high-profile assassination of Alain Karol, widely known as “Alain Versace”, in Düsseldorf, Germany.

In a March 13, 2025 report by Cameroon Concord, Alain Karol was gunned down inside an Uber vehicle near Düsseldorf’s main train station. Authorities later arrested a suspect on March 27 in connection with the killing, which they believe stemmed from unresolved financial fraud disputes with former associates. Karol was reportedly tied to multiple scams stretching from Germany to Dubai.

Both cases reveal a growing and dangerous backlash against Cameroonian scam operatives abroad. While such figures were once celebrated in some circles for their perceived wealth and flamboyance, the tide has turned — especially among victims now resorting to direct retaliation.

Across Europe — from Spain, Germany, Italy, to Belgium — law enforcement and community watchdog groups have reported increased violence linked to West African scam syndicates. In Vietnam (2023), a Cameroonian was beaten to death in Ho Chi Minh City by victims of a romance scam. In Indonesia (2022), another was strangled and dumped in Jakarta after failing to deliver on a business scheme.

The growing vigilantism signals a shift in how scams are perceived in both African and European communities. No longer romanticized, the so-called feymen are now being hunted.

Back in Cameroon, officials have yet to release a statement on the Spain killings. However, diaspora analysts warn that this rising trend undermines the reputation of legitimate Cameroonian entrepreneurs abroad and could further isolate diaspora communities seen as harboring fraudsters.

Investigations in Spain are ongoing. The bodies of Ngono and Coulibaly are expected to be repatriated in the coming weeks.

Reported by Cameroon Concord
Referencing earlier reports: March 13 & March 27, 2025 – Düsseldorf coverage of Alain Karol (“Versace”) case