South Africa has extradited six Nigerian nationals to the United States to face charges over an alleged online romance scam that reportedly defrauded more than 100 American women of over $6 million.
The suspects, who were arrested in Cape Town in 2021, are accused of being members of Black Axe, an organised criminal network that has been linked by international law enforcement agencies to cyber-enabled financial crimes, including romance, cryptocurrency and investment scams.
According to South African police, the alleged victims included pensioners and businesspeople who were targeted through sophisticated online relationships designed to gain their trust before money was obtained from them.
The six men are expected to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering in the United States.
South African police spokesperson, Colonel Katlego Mogale, said the suspects were transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they were handed over to officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service.
The extradition was coordinated through Interpol South Africa following a lengthy legal process. A Cape Town Magistrate’s Court ruled in February 2024 that there was sufficient evidence to support their extradition, while an appeal against the decision was dismissed by the Western Cape High Court in April 2026.
One of the alleged members of the network, Enorense Izevbigie, was extradited separately to the US in December 2024 and has appeared before a federal court in New Jersey.
The latest extradition forms part of wider international efforts to disrupt organised cybercrime networks operating across borders.
Interpol recently reported a multinational operation targeting West African organised crime groups that resulted in 58 arrests and the identification of 263 suspects.
In South Africa, a separate operation targeting a syndicate allegedly involved in romance and investment scams led to 39 arrests, while authorities seized $2.67 million and froze more than 250 bank accounts.
The six Nigerians will now face the US justice system, where the allegations against them will be tested in court.
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