Six Nigerians extradited from South Africa to the United States face fraud charges over alleged romance scams targeting more than 100 American women and causing losses above $6 million.
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA — Six Nigerian nationals arrested in South Africa in 2021 have been extradited to the United States over allegations that they defrauded more than 100 American women of over $6 million through online romance scams.
According to South African police, the suspects are wanted in the US on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. Authorities allege that the men belong to the Black Axe organised criminal network and targeted pensioners and businesspeople through sophisticated online relationships designed to gain their trust before obtaining money from them.
Checks by Newstridez show that the extradition was coordinated by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, and INTERPOL South Africa. The six men were moved from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where South African authorities handed them over to officials from the FBI and the US Secret Service.
The Hawks said the suspects allegedly caused losses of more than R100 million through online romance or love scams. Reuters put the alleged losses at about $6.2 million, while Associated Press reports more than $6 million. The alleged victims included retirees and business owners who were reportedly drawn into deceptive online relationships.
The suspects had remained in South Africa since their arrests in 2021 following a major operation by the Hawks. Their extradition now moves the case into the US justice system, where they are expected to face the allegations brought by American authorities.
South African police spokesperson Katlego Mogale said the suspects would be handed over to FBI and Secret Service officials at Cape Town International Airport. The police said the extradition demonstrated continued cooperation between South African law-enforcement agencies and international partners in tackling organised crime that operates across national borders.
The case centres on romance scams, a form of online fraud in which criminals create false identities or relationships to gain the confidence of victims before requesting money. In the alleged operation, the suspects reportedly targeted women in the United States through online relationships, with some victims described as pensioners and businesspeople.
The alleged scale of the losses makes the case significant for both Nigeria and South Africa. More than 100 American women reportedly lost money, while the investigation has also linked the suspects to a wider criminal network that authorities say operates across countries and uses cyber-enabled financial fraud to target victims.
Interpol has identified Black Axe as part of organised criminal groups involved in cyber-enabled financial crimes, including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud and investment scams. The organisation has been the subject of law-enforcement operations in several countries as authorities seek to disrupt networks that move money and operate across borders.
The extradition also comes amid a wider international crackdown on West African organised crime networks. Interpol said a recent operation targeting such groups resulted in 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects linked to various criminal networks. The operation focused on disrupting money laundering, identifying high-value targets, recovering assets and supporting prosecutions.
South Africa has also recorded other major investigations involving alleged romance and investment scams. Authorities recently raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate accused of targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. Police arrested 39 people, seized about $2.67 million and froze more than 250 bank accounts, according to Interpol.
The latest case highlights the growing international reach of online fraud and the difficulties investigators face when suspects, victims and financial transactions are spread across several countries. A victim in the US may interact with a suspect operating from South Africa, while the money can move through accounts or digital platforms in other jurisdictions.
For Nigerians, the case also carries a wider reputational concern. Allegations involving Nigerian nationals in international cybercrime investigations can affect how Nigerians living abroad are viewed, even though criminal responsibility rests with individuals and must be established through due legal process.
The US authorities will now handle the prosecution of the six men. The allegations remain allegations unless and until they are proved in court, and the extradition itself does not amount to a finding of guilt.
The case follows other US prosecutions involving Nigerians accused of romance fraud. In June 2026, Nigerian national Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo received a five-year prison sentence in the United States after pleading guilty to wire fraud involving more than $3.5 million taken from eight victims through an online romance scheme.
US authorities have also reported the broader scale of romance fraud. According to figures cited by CBS from the Federal Trade Commission, more than 64,000 Americans lost over $1 billion to romance scams in 2023. The FBI and other US agencies have continued warning the public about criminals who use dating platforms and social media to build relationships before requesting money.
The extradition of the six suspects therefore represents another test of international cooperation against online financial crime. South African authorities have completed their role in transferring the suspects, while US prosecutors will now have to present their evidence and establish the allegations in court.
As at the time of filing this report, the six men had been handed over to US authorities after their extradition from South Africa. They face wire fraud and money laundering allegations linked to the reported romance scams, while the victims and total losses remain part of the case being pursued by US authorities.
The next stage will take place in the United States, where the suspects will face the charges against them. The case also sends another warning to online users about the risks of romance scams and shows how South African, Nigerian-linked and US investigations can now work together when alleged financial crimes cross borders.
