Six Nigerians extradited to US over $6m online romance scam

Six Nigerian nationals arrested in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2021 were extradited to the United States on Friday over their alleged role in an organized online romance scam that defrauded more than 100 American women of over $6m.

South African police confirmed the extradition, saying it was facilitated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, working alongside Interpol South Africa. The men were transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they were handed over to officials from the FBI and the US Secret Service.

Charges and network

The men face wire fraud and money laundering charges. They are accused of belonging to Black Axe, a criminal network that Interpol describes as responsible for a significant share of the world's cyber-enabled financial fraud, typically carried out through romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.

Among the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were targeted through sophisticated online relationships built over time.

Wider regional crackdown

The extradition follows a broader Interpol operation targeting West African organized crime groups, which last month led to 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects linked to similar criminal networks. That operation aimed to disrupt money laundering, identify high-value targets, seize assets, and support arrests and prosecutions.

In a related South African operation, authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. That raid resulted in 39 arrests, the seizure of $2.67m, and the freezing of more than 250 bank accounts.