Six Nigerian men accused of taking part in an organised online romance-scam network have been handed to United States authorities after being extradited from South Africa.
The Hawks and Interpol South Africa transferred the men from a Cape Town correctional facility to Cape Town International Airport on Friday, where officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Secret Service took custody of them.
The men are alleged to be members of the Black Axe organised criminal network. US authorities want them to face wire-fraud and money-laundering charges linked to alleged online relationships used to obtain money from victims.
According to the Hawks, more than 100 women in the United States were targeted and the alleged losses exceeded R100 million. The reported victims included pensioners and businesspeople.
Arrests followed 2021 operation
The six were arrested in South Africa in 2021 during a Hawks operation. Their extradition followed the legal process required to transfer people wanted for prosecution in another country.
eNCA reported from the airport that the men were in the custody of Interpol and FBI officials on Friday afternoon. The charges have not been tested at trial, and the men remain presumed innocent unless convicted by a court.
The Hawks said the handover reflected continuing cooperation between South African and international law-enforcement agencies in cases involving alleged transnational organised crime.
No finding of guilt was made in South Africa as part of the handover. The criminal allegations will now be dealt with through the United States court process.
