Six Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding more than 100 American women of over $6 million through online romance scams are set to be extradited from South Africa to the United States.
The suspects were arrested in Cape Town in 2021 and are expected to be handed over to officials from the FBI and the United States Secret Service before being transported to the US.
They face charges including wire fraud and money laundering.
South African police said the six men are allegedly members of Black Axe, a Nigerian-linked organised criminal network that has been associated with cyber-enabled financial crimes.
Interpol has identified Black Axe as part of criminal networks involved in large-scale online fraud, including romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
According to South African authorities, the suspects allegedly targeted more than 100 women in the United States, including pensioners and business owners.
The victims were reportedly drawn into sophisticated online relationships before being defrauded of money.
South African police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the suspects would be transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport for the handover.
“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, who arrived in South Africa this morning,” Mogale said.
The extradition comes amid a wider international crackdown on West African organised crime networks involved in cyber-enabled fraud.
Interpol said a recent operation targeting organised crime groups in West Africa resulted in the arrest of 58 people and the identification of 263 suspects linked to various criminal networks.
In South Africa, authorities also raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate accused of running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries.
Police arrested 39 people during that operation, while about $2.67 million was seized and more than 250 bank accounts were frozen.
The six Nigerian suspects are expected to face the US charges after their extradition.