South Africa to Extradite Six Nigerians to US Over Alleged $6.2m Romance Scam

South Africa is set to extradite six Nigerian nationals to the United States on Friday over allegations that they defrauded more than 100 victims of over $6 million through online romance scams.

The suspects are allegedly linked to Black Axe, an organised criminal network, and are wanted by US authorities for offences including wire fraud and money laundering, South Africa’s elite police unit, the Hawks, said.

The six men were arrested in South Africa in 2021 during a major operation targeting the alleged criminal network. The Hawks said they were accused of targeting more than 100 women in the US.

Investigators estimate the alleged losses at more than R100 million, equivalent to about $6.2 million. Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said some of the alleged victims were pensioners and business owners who were drawn into carefully developed online relationships.

“Among the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly targeted through sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money,” Mogale said.

She said the suspects would be handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport on Friday.

The extradition follows a request from US authorities seeking to prosecute the suspects over the alleged financial crimes. They are expected to face the charges in the United States after being transferred from South Africa.

Romance scams have become a major form of online fraud, with criminals using fake identities on dating platforms and social media to build trust with victims before allegedly persuading them to transfer money. The six Nigerians remain accused of the offences and will have the opportunity to answer the allegations through the US legal process.