South Africa is set to extradite six Nigerian nationals to the United States to face wire fraud and money laundering charges linked to an online romance scam that allegedly defrauded more than 100 women of over R100 million, Hawks National spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale said.
Mogale said the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, in collaboration with INTERPOL South Africa, is facilitating the extradition.
The six men are alleged to be members of the Black Axe organised criminal network and are wanted by US authorities.
“The suspects are alleged to have targeted more than 100 women in the United States, allegedly defrauding them of more than R100 million through online romance or love scams,” Mogale said.
Among the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly targeted through sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money, she said.
The six Nigerian nationals were arrested in South Africa in 2021 following a major takedown operation conducted by the Hawks/DPCI.
Through the coordination of INTERPOL South Africa, the six are being transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they will be handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.
The US officials arrived in South Africa this morning, and the formal handover is expected this afternoon.
Mogale said the extradition demonstrates continued cooperation between South African law enforcement agencies and international law enforcement partners in disrupting transnational organised crime and ensuring that suspects wanted in other jurisdictions face due legal process.
