Six Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding more than 100 American women of over $6m through online romance scams are set to be extradited from South Africa to the United States.
South African police said the suspects, who were arrested in Cape Town in 2021, would be handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Secret Service on Friday.
They are expected to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering in the US.
The suspects are alleged to be members of the Black Axe criminal network, which Interpol has linked to cyber-enabled financial crimes, including romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
According to South African authorities, the men allegedly targeted more than 100 women in the US and defrauded them of more than $6m through online relationships.
Some of the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly drawn into sophisticated online relationships before being defrauded.
South African police spokesperson, Katlego Mogale, said the suspects would be moved from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they would be handed over to the US officials.
“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 FBI and the United States Secret Service,” Mogale said.
The extradition follows a wider Interpol operation targeting organised crime groups in West Africa.
The international police organisation said last month that the operation led to the arrest of 58 people and the identification of 263 suspects linked to criminal networks involved in money laundering and other financial crimes.
The operation also focused on identifying major suspects, tracing and seizing criminal assets, and supporting arrests and prosecutions.
In South Africa, authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate accused of running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries.
The operation led to the arrest of 39 people, while authorities seized $2.67m and froze more than 250 bank accounts, according to Interpol.
The six Nigerians will be transported to the US to face the charges against them.
