South Africa has extradited six Nigerian nationals to the United States over allegations of money laundering and involvement in cult-related criminal activities linked to an organised network, following a sophisticated online romance scam that swindled victims of over $6 million.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the men, alleged members of the Neo Black Movement of Africa, popularly known as Black Axe, were wanted by US authorities on charges including wire fraud and money laundering, according to South Africa’s elite police unit, the Hawks.
The suspects were arrested in South Africa in 2021 following a major crackdown, after allegedly targeting more than 100 women in the United States, defrauding them of over R100 million (about $6.2 million) through fake online romantic relationships. Hawks spokeswoman, Colonel Katlego Mogale, disclosed that victims included pensioners and businesspeople who were manipulated through sustained online deception.
The suspects were handed over to officials from the FBI and the US State Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport on Friday for prosecution.
Online romance scams have become an increasingly prominent form of transnational cybercrime, with fraudsters using fake identities on dating platforms and social media to build trust before defrauding victims of large sums. In 2022, Nigerian Instagram influencer Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, was jailed for over 11 years in the US for his role in a similar international fraud syndicate.
CDA News Nigeria will continue monitoring developments in this cross-border prosecution.
Source verification: Adapted from Vanguard News/AllAfrica reporting. CDA News Nigeria adheres to strict editorial standards.
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