South African authorities announced that six Nigerian nationals would be extradited to the United States on Friday, September 11, 2026. The men are accused of participating in an organized criminal network that defrauded American women of more than $6 million through online romance scams.
The suspects were originally arrested in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2021. Their transfer follows a similar action less than two years ago when a leader of the same criminal organization, known as the Black Axe, was extradited to the U.S. to face charges related to internet scams and money laundering.
South African police spokesperson Katlego Mogale stated that the six men were transported from a Cape Town correctional facility to the city's international airport. There, they were handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Secret Service for transport to the United States. The group faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering for allegedly targeting more than 100 U.S. victims, including pensioners and businesspeople.
Interpol describes the Black Axe as a criminal group responsible for a significant portion of global cyber-enabled financial fraud, including cryptocurrency and investment schemes. In a separate operation, Interpol reported last month the arrest of 58 people and the identification of 263 suspects linked to West African organized crime, which included raids in Johannesburg that resulted in the seizure of $2.67 million and the freezing of 250 bank accounts.
According to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data, more than 64,000 Americans reported losing over $1 billion to romance scams in 2023. This total has doubled since 2019, when losses were reported at approximately $500 million.
The suspects in this case are alleged to have targeted more than 100 women. The crimes involve money laundering and wire fraud, and the extradition involved coordination between the FBI, Secret Service, and Interpol South Africa.
The extradition of these six suspects on September 11, 2026, follows the previous extradition of a Black Axe leader within the last two years. The men will now proceed to the U.S. legal system to face formal charges.