Six Nigerians accused of romance scams to be extradited to the US
The six will face wire fraud and money-laundry charges in the US, South African police say.
Six Nigerians accused of running online romance scams are set to be extradited to the United States, according to South African authorities. The accused individuals are allegedly part of a Nigerian mafia-style crime syndicate known as Black Axe, which has been linked to human trafficking, internet fraud, and murder. It is believed that the group targeted over 100 women in the US, defrauding them of more than 100 million rand ($6 million; £5 million).
The six suspects were arrested in 2021 and are currently being held in a correctional facility in Cape Town. South Africa's Hawks police unit states that the victims included pensioners and businesspeople who were duped through sophisticated online relationships. Upon arrival in the US, the suspects will face wire fraud and money-laundering charges.
Black Axe is known for its extreme violence and operates across Africa, Europe, and North America. The syndicate has been a target of law enforcement agencies for years, with FBI operations against them beginning in November 2019 and September 2021, resulting in the arrest of over 35 individuals.
Written by urgent.news from KahawaTungu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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