South Africa Sends Six Nigerians to US Over Fraud Claims

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is extraditing six Nigerians who are suspected of being part of the Black Axe crime group to the United States.

On Friday, the police announced that these Nigerians are being sent to the US for their role in an online romance scam and cyber fraud that affected over 100 American women.

The crime group is said to have stolen more than $6.2 million from victims, most of whom are business people and pensioners.

The police stated, "The six men are alleged to be members of the Black Axe organised criminal network and are #WANTED by the US authorities in connection with charges of wire fraud and money laundering."

They explained that the victims were tricked “through sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money.”

The SAPS did not share any details about the Nigerians being extradited.

Black Axe is an international group with Nigerian roots and is seen as a global threat. This gang is linked to human trafficking, internet fraud, and murder.

Two weeks ago, PREMIUM TIMES reported that an eight-month international operation, which involved 22 countries like Nigeria and South Africa, led to the arrest of 58 suspects and the identification of 263 others connected to Black Axe and other West African crime networks.

The Nigerians being sent to the US were arrested in 2021 during a major operation by the police elite Hawks unit.

The statement said, "Through the coordination of INTERPOL South Africa, the six will today be transported from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport where they will be handed over to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service, who arrived in South Africa this morning."

The police added, "This extradition demonstrates the continued cooperation between South African law enforcement agencies and international law enforcement partners in disrupting transnational organised crime and ensuring that suspects wanted in other jurisdictions face due legal process."