South African authorities have begun the extradition of six Nigerian nationals to the United States over their alleged involvement in a romance scam that reportedly defrauded more than 100 women.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) said the suspects, who were arrested in the country in 2021, are wanted by US authorities on allegations of wire fraud and money laundering.
According to SAPS, the six men are suspected members of the Black Axe network and allegedly defrauded women in the United States of more than R100 million.
The suspects are expected to be transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they will be handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service.
In a statement issued on Friday, SAPS said the extradition was coordinated through INTERPOL South Africa following a major operation by the Hawks/Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in 2021.
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“The six Nigerian nationals were arrested in South Africa in 2021, following a major takedown operation conducted by the Hawks/DPCI,” the police said.
SAPS added that FBI and US Secret Service officials arrived in South Africa on Friday morning for the formal handover, which was expected to take place later that afternoon.
The extradition is the latest in a series of cases involving Nigerian nationals accused of internet-related crimes and subsequently transferred to the US to face prosecution.
In August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) extradited two Nigerians, Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus, to the United States over alleged online sexual exploitation and sextortion involving two teenage boys.
US investigators reportedly linked the suspects to separate sextortion schemes targeting male minors, who later died by suicide.
The latest case highlights continued cooperation among law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, South Africa and the United States in tackling transnational financial and cyber-related crimes.
