Romance scam: South Africa hands six Nigerians over to US authorities

Six Nigerian nationals arrested in South Africa over alleged romance scams targeting more than 100 women in the United States are set to be extradited to the US to face fraud and money-laundering charges.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) disclosed this in a statement posted on X on Friday, saying the suspects were allegedly members of the Black Axe network and had been wanted by US authorities.

According to the police, the six Nigerians were arrested in South Africa in 2021 following a major operation by the Hawks/Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).

The suspects are accused of defrauding women in the US of more than R100 million through romance-related scams.

SAPS said the extradition process was being coordinated through INTERPOL South Africa.

“The six Nigerian nationals were arrested in South Africa in 2021, following a major takedown operation conducted by the Hawks/DPCI,” the statement said.

The police said the suspects would be transferred from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they would be handed over to officials of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.

The US officials reportedly arrived in South Africa on Friday ahead of the formal handover.

“The formal handover is expected to take place this afternoon,” SAPS said.

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Suspects face US fraud, money-laundering allegations

The extradition follows investigations by US authorities into alleged international fraud networks operating across jurisdictions.

The suspects are expected to face charges relating to alleged wire fraud and money laundering in the United States.

Romance scams typically involve fraudsters establishing deceptive online relationships with victims before persuading them to transfer money or provide financial information.

The case underscores the increasing international cooperation among law-enforcement agencies in tackling transnational cybercrime, particularly schemes involving suspects, victims and financial transactions across different countries.

Nigeria, US intensify cooperation on cybercrime

The development comes shortly after Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) extradited two Nigerian nationals to the United States over separate allegations involving online sexual exploitation and sextortion.

The two suspects, Mudashiru Afeez Olawale and Adebola Festus, were extradited following investigations by the US FBI that allegedly linked them to separate sextortion schemes involving two teenage boys who later died by suicide.

The latest South African case further highlights the growing international scrutiny of Nigerian nationals suspected of participating in organised cybercrime and online fraud.

Authorities in Nigeria, South Africa and the United States have increasingly relied on intelligence sharing, INTERPOL coordination and extradition procedures to pursue suspects accused of crimes that cross national borders.

The six suspects are expected to be handed over to US authorities to face the allegations against them, while the prosecution will be required to establish the charges before a US court.