Six Nigerians Set for US Extradition Over Alleged R100m Romance Scam
Six Nigerian nationals arrested in South Africa are set to be extradited to the United States over allegations of defrauding more than 100 American women through online romance scams, with the alleged losses put at more than R100 million.
The case comes against the backdrop of a growing online fraud problem in the US. The Federal Trade Commission said romance scammers stole more than $1 billion from Americans in 2023, highlighting the scale of financial abuse carried out through fake online relationships. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center also recorded $16.6 billion in reported internet-crime losses in 2024, up sharply from $12.5 billion the previous year.
The six men, who are allegedly connected to the Black Axe organised crime network, were arrested in South Africa in 2021 during an operation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks. US authorities accuse them of offences including wire fraud and money laundering, while their alleged victims reportedly included pensioners and business owners. South African authorities are working with INTERPOL to transfer the suspects to the US, where they are expected to face prosecution.
The case also illustrates how online fraud can cross jurisdictions, with alleged victims in one country, suspects arrested in another and prosecution taking place thousands of kilometres away. US officials from the FBI and Secret Service have arrived in Cape Town for the handover, which is expected to take place on Friday. The suspects remain entitled to due process and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
