Six Nigerian men arrested in South Africa over an alleged romance scam are set to be extradited to the United States (US) on Friday to face charges linked to the alleged defrauding of more than 100 victims of over $6 million.
The suspects, who are allegedly members of the organized criminal group known as Black Axe, were arrested in South Africa in 2021 during a major crackdown on the network.
According to South Africa’s elite police unit, the Hawks, the suspects are wanted by US authorities over alleged offences including wire fraud and money laundering.
The Hawks said the six men allegedly targeted more than 100 women in the United States through online romance or love scams.
The suspects were accused of defrauding their victims of more than R100 million, estimated at about $6.2 million.
Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said some of those allegedly targeted were pensioners and businesspeople.
“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.
Mogale added that the suspects would be handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport on Friday.
Romance scams have become a growing form of international cybercrime, with fraudsters using fake identities on dating platforms and social media to build relationships with unsuspecting victims.
After gaining the trust of their targets, the fraudsters allegedly manipulate them into sending money under different false pretences. The extradition is part of efforts by US authorities to bring the suspects before American courts over the alleged financial crimes.
