In brief
South African authorities are exporting a group of six Nigeria‑birth criminals trained in the Black Axe syndicate to the United States, where they face wire fraud and money‑laundering charges. The men are accused of doling out fake online relationships that swindled more than 100 U.S. women out of over 100 million rand ($6 million). Arrested in 2021, they were captured in Cape Town’s correctional facility before the transfer. The case marks another high‑profile cross‑border operation targeting the notorious Black Axe network, which spans Africa, Europe and North America.
Six Nigerians Accused of Romance Scams to be Extradited to the U.S.
South African police are handing over six Nigerians wanted in the U.S. for alleged online romance scams to FBI agents on Friday.
The group has been accused of targeting over 100 women in the U.S. and defrauding them of more than 100 million rand ($6 million). The South African authorities say the men were arrested in 2021 and are believed to be members of the crime syndicate Black Axe – a Nigerian mafia‑style gang linked to human trafficking, internet fraud and murder.
Victims included pensioners and businesspeople, who were drawn in through sophisticated online relationships designed to steal their money, according to the elite Hawks police unit.
A Hawks spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the seven would be transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to the airport, where they will be handed over to the FBI and the U.S. Secret Service. They will face wire‑fraud and money‑laundering charges upon their arrival.
The Black Axe network is known for extreme violence and operates across Africa, Europe and North America. U.S. and Interpol operations since 2019 have charged more than 35 individuals in multi‑million‑dollar internet‑fraud cases.
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