A gang of 6 Nigerian spammers was put to trial on 15 May. The gang was arrested last year in the Netherlands. Operating from Amsterdam the group posed as very rich businessmen from Nigeria. Victims were promised a lot of money in exchange for a temporary loan.
The Dutch police estimates the gang earned at least 4 million euro's. The most spectacular victim of the gang, a Swiss professor, transferred almost half a million euro. The money was necessary to buy chemicals to clean banknotes with a total value of 36 million US Dollars, the gang told the gullible professor. He was promised 25% of that amount.
The public prosecutor accused the Nigerians of swindle, participation in a criminal organisation and money-laundering. No date is known yet for the verdict.
Nigerian Scam Letter Gallery (note the Brad Christensen archive with
answers to the spammers)
http://www.quatloos.com/cm-niger/nigerian_scam_letter_museum.htm