South African police announced the extradition of six Nigerian nationals involved in an organized criminal syndicate. The group allegedly defrauded American women of over $6 million through online romance scams. The extradition to the United States is scheduled for Friday.
These individuals were apprehended in Cape Town in 2021. They will be turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering. They are accused of being part of the Black Axe, a network tied to significant global cyber fraud, including romance and investment scams.
Previously, a key Black Axe leader was extradited for similar crimes. Authorities in South Africa report the suspects targeted over 100 U.S. women. Victims included pensioners and business professionals, deceived through elaborate online interactions.
Through Interpol South Africa’s coordination, the six will be moved from a Cape Town correctional facility to the international airport. There, they will be handed to FBI and U.S. Secret Service officials who arrived earlier today,said police spokesperson Katlego Mogale.
Interpol’s recent crackdown on West African crime networks resulted in 58 arrests and identification of 263 suspects. These networks were implicated in various cyber crimes. South African police raided seven Johannesburg sites linked to similar scams, leading to 39 arrests, $2.67 million seized, and over 250 bank accounts frozen.
The Federal Trade Commission reported over 64,000 Americans lost more than $1 billion to romance scams in 2023. This figure is double the $500 million reported four years prior. In 2024, a CBS News inquiry exposed a large romance scam operation in Ghana. A syndicate leader identified as Voodu claimed Americans were easy targets.