South African authorities have extradited six Nigerians wanted in the United States over alleged online romance scams involving more than 100 victims and losses estimated at over 100 million rand ($6 million).
The suspects, who were arrested in South Africa in 2021, are alleged to be members of Black Axe, a Nigerian cult and organised crime network that authorities have linked to internet fraud, human trafficking and other serious crimes.
The Hawks, South Africa’s elite police unit, said the suspects targeted women in the United States, including pensioners and businesspeople, through sophisticated fake online relationships designed to defraud them of money.
According to Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, the six suspects were scheduled to be transferred from a correctional facility in Cape Town to the airport on Friday, where they would be handed over to officials of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service.
Mogale said the suspects would face charges of wire fraud and money laundering in the United States.
The identities of the six men have not been released by South African or US authorities.
The case is part of a wider international crackdown on West African cybercrime networks. Interpol said a recent operation conducted between November 2025 and June 2026 resulted in raids on seven sites in South Africa linked to romance and investment scams.
The operation led to 39 arrests, the seizure of funds and the blocking of more than 250 bank accounts.
US prosecutors have previously charged individuals allegedly linked to Black Axe with large-scale internet fraud involving romance scams and advance-fee schemes. Investigators said the suspects used social media, dating platforms and internet-based calls to establish relationships with victims while operating under false identities.
In some cases, victims were allegedly persuaded to transfer money or open US financial accounts that the fraudsters could access.
One of the alleged schemes involved suspects posing as online romantic partners travelling to Cape Town for construction work. Victims were reportedly told that their supposed partners had been robbed or needed money for construction-related expenses, legal fees, taxes or other emergencies.
Black Axe has been the subject of international law-enforcement investigations for years. A 2021 BBC investigation described the group as a far-reaching organised crime network operating across Africa, Europe and North America.
The latest extradition underscores growing cooperation between South African, US and international law-enforcement agencies in tackling organised cybercrime and romance scams.