Six Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding more than 100 American women of over $6 million through online romance scams are due to be extradited from South Africa to the United States to face criminal charges.
South African police said the six men, who were arrested in Cape Town in 2021, would be handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service before being transported to the US on Friday.
They are expected to face charges including wire fraud and money laundering over their alleged involvement in an organised cybercrime network.
The suspects are accused of being members of the Black Axe criminal network, which Interpol has linked to various forms of cyber-enabled financial crime, including romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
According to South African authorities, the men allegedly targeted more than 100 women in the United States, using sophisticated online relationships to defraud victims of millions of dollars.
Some of those targeted were reportedly pensioners and business owners who were allegedly persuaded to send money after establishing relationships with the suspects online.
South African police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said Interpol South Africa had coordinated the extradition process.
“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 FBI and the United States Secret Service, who arrived in South Africa this morning,” Mogale said.
The extradition comes amid increased international efforts to dismantle West African organised crime networks involved in cyber-enabled fraud and money laundering.
Last month, Interpol said a recent operation targeting organised crime groups in West Africa resulted in 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects linked to various criminal networks.
The operation focused on disrupting money-laundering networks, identifying high-value targets, recovering criminal assets and supporting arrests and prosecutions across participating countries.
In South Africa, authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate allegedly involved in romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries.
Interpol said the operation resulted in 39 arrests, the seizure of about $2.67 million and the freezing of more than 250 bank accounts.
The six Nigerians are expected to face the US judicial process following their extradition, where the allegations against them will be tested in court.
