Romance Scam: South Africa Extradites 6 Nigerians To US

Six Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding more than 100 women in the United States through online romance scams have been extradited from South Africa to face charges in the US.

The suspects, who are alleged to be members of the Black Axe organised criminal network, were arrested in South Africa in 2021.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) announced their extradition in a post on X on Friday.

According to the police, the suspects were wanted by United States authorities in connection with allegations of wire fraud and money laundering.
SAPS said the men were accused of using online romance scams to defraud their victims of more than R100 million.

“The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the #Hawks, in collaboration with #INTERPOL South Africa, will today facilitate the extradition of six Nigerian nationals to the United States of America,” the police said.

The suspects were subsequently transferred from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they were handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the extradition was coordinated through INTERPOL South Africa.

“Through the coordination of INTERPOL South Africa, the six will today be transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they will be handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service,” Mogale said, according to Eye Witness News.

Mogale described the development as an indication of the growing collaboration between South African authorities and international law enforcement agencies in the fight against organised crime across national borders.

“This extradition demonstrates the continued cooperation between South African law enforcement agencies and international law enforcement partners in disrupting transnational organised crime and ensuring that suspects wanted in other jurisdictions face due legal process,” he said.