South African police said six Nigerian nationals accused in a large-scale romance scam extradition will be transferred to the United States on Friday to face wire fraud and money laundering charges tied to more than $6 million in losses.
Authorities said the men were arrested in Cape Town in 2021 and will be handed over to Federal Bureau of Investigation officials for transport to the U.S. They are alleged members of Black Axe, a network that Interpol says is linked to a significant portion of cyber-enabled financial crime, including romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
Romance scam extradition follows global crackdown
The transfer comes less than two years after a prominent Black Axe leader was extradited to the U.S. in a related case involving internet fraud and money laundering. South African police said the six suspects targeted more than 100 women in the United States through online romance schemes, defrauding victims of over $6 million. Reported victims included pensioners and businesspeople drawn into sophisticated online relationships.
Police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the men would be moved from a Cape Town correctional facility to Cape Town International Airport and turned over to FBI and United States Secret Service personnel who arrived Friday.
Interpol operations net arrests and seized assets
Interpol recently reported an operation targeting West African organized crime groups that resulted in 58 arrests and the identification of 263 additional suspects tied to similar offenses. The effort focused on disrupting money laundering, identifying high-value targets, seizing assets and supporting arrests and prosecutions.
In South Africa, authorities raided seven sites in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate accused of running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. That action led to 39 arrests, the seizure of $2.67 million and the freezing of more than 250 bank accounts, according to Interpol.
Romance scams rising across the U.S.
The Federal Trade Commission reported that more than 64,000 Americans lost over $1 billion to romance scams in 2023, double the losses reported four years earlier. In 2024, an investigation highlighted a large-scale operation in Ghana, with one alleged organizer saying Americans were among the easiest targets.
Officials continue to urge the public to be cautious about online relationships that involve sudden requests for money, cryptocurrency transfers or investment opportunities, noting that such schemes remain a persistent threat to consumers nationwide, including in Hawaiʻi. For more on how cross-border enforcement shapes U.S. policy, see how 9/11 immigration enforcement reshaped U.S. policy.
Officials with the Federal Trade Commission provide guidance for consumers on how to recognize and report romance scams.
