South Africa extradites six Nigerians to US over romance scams involving 100 women

South African authorities have extradited six Nigerian nationals to the United States over allegations that they defrauded more than 100 women of over R100 million through online romance scams.

The South African Police Service, SAPS, announced the extradition on Friday, September 11, saying the six men are alleged members of the Black Axe network and are wanted by US authorities in connection with alleged wire fraud and money laundering.

“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,” SAPS said. According to the police, the suspects were arrested in South Africa in 2021 following a major operation conducted by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks.

“The six Nigerian nationals were arrested in South Africa in 2021, following a major takedown operation conducted by the Hawks/DPCI,” the statement said. South African authorities alleged that the suspects targeted more than 100 women in the United States through online romance or love scams, defrauding them of more than R100 million.

Through the coordination of INTERPOL South Africa, the six men were moved from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport for their handover to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service.

“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 (FBI) and the United States Secret Service, who arrived in South Africa this morning,” SAPS said.

“The formal handover is expected to take place this afternoon.” Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said the extradition demonstrated cooperation between South African authorities and their international counterparts in tackling alleged transnational criminal activity.

“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,” Mogale said.

The extradition comes after Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in August extradited two Nigerians, Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus, to the United States over separate allegations involving the online exploitation and sextortion of two teenage boys who later died by suicide.

US authorities alleged that FBI investigations linked the two men to separate sextortion schemes targeting male minors. The allegations against the six Nigerians extradited from South Africa remain accusations to be addressed through the US legal process.