I just got one from "a fugitive former high-ranking official in the government of Zimbabwean dictator Mugabe."

This guy claims to have escaped with $45 million (US) in $100 bills in one suitcase. Somehow, the money went to South Africa while he went to Botswana. He says he is unable to travel due to not having remembered to bring his passport. He wants you to fly to S.A., retrieve the money, put in in your account, and then, when he comes to meet you in Pretoria (? without his passport?), to give him 75% of the proceeds, keeping the remainder for yourself.

The only thing I'm confused about is who benefits from the scam (other than the travel and hospitality industries)?