US Marine Tricked into Becoming Drug Mule, Jailed in Mozambique

Rodney Baldus, a 70-year-old former US Marine and grandfather from Owatonna, Minnesota, is serving 18 years in a Mozambique prison after being scammed into becoming a drug mule. Baldus was targeted by a shadowy Nigerian gang called Black Axe that preys on vulnerable grandparents, promising him an £8.3 million inheritance from a long-lost relative in Italy.

Why this matters: This story highlights the growing trend of criminal organizations targeting vulnerable elderly individuals, exploiting their trust and emotional vulnerability for financial gain. The case serves as a warning to seniors and their families to be vigilant against such scams, as the consequences can be devastating and long-lasting.

Baldus received legal-looking emails offering to pay for his flights to Mozambique to sort out the paperwork for his supposed inheritance. He was given a case full of paperwork to take to lawyers in Europe, who would supposedly release his cash. Unbeknownst to him, the case actually contained 4.6kg of heroin hidden in sweets and biscuits.

Baldus is one of an increasing number of pensioners around the world being preyed on by mafia bosses who know that older people look less suspicious at airports. A new documentary reveals that Rodney is one of three pensioners in the same Mozambique jail who got sucked into the hustle run by the Black Axe gang. "Whistleblowers are being killed," says an undercover cop in the film.

Baldus' daughter, Nicole, says her father was vulnerable when he started receiving the scam emails about his supposed payout from a mystery family member in Italy. "When dad came to my house to tell me about the emails, the first thing I thought was, 'Okay, you're going to get kidnapped and put into a diamond mine.'" Baldus was trying to save the family farm after his wife's death and was emotionally vulnerable.

Baldus was arrested in June 2019 and is now serving 18 years in the Machava prison in Mozambique, where fellow pensioners American William Vito, 85, and Canadian Dennis Hawkins are also held on drug smuggling charges. The documentary reveals that the men's flights were paid for in Nigeria, 2,000 miles from Mozambique, and that the gang behind the scheme is part of a global network.

Mark, a special agent with a US-led drugs taskforce, says these criminal groups are deliberately targeting elderly people from first-world countries, knowing they are less likely to be suspected of trafficking drugs through international airports. The case highlights the vulnerability of older people to these sophisticated global scams and the tragic consequences that can result.

Key Takeaways

• Rodney Baldus, 70, was scammed into being a drug mule by a Nigerian gang, Black Axe.
• He was promised £8.3 million inheritance, but was arrested in Mozambique with 4.6kg of heroin.
• Baldus is serving 18 years in prison, along with two other pensioners, American William Vito and Canadian Dennis Hawkins.
• Criminal organizations target vulnerable elderly individuals, exploiting their trust and emotional vulnerability.
• The case highlights the growing trend of seniors being preyed upon by mafia bosses for financial gain.