INTERNATIONAL: The axe is about to fall on six Nigerian nationals wanted in the United States for online love scams of more than R100 million.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the Hawks, in collaboration with Interpol South Africa, will today facilitate the extradition of the six Nigerians to the USA.

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.

The suspects are alleged to have targeted more than 100 women in the United States, allegedly defrauding them of more than R100 million through online romance/love scams.

According to the Hawks among the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly targeted through sophisticated online relationships, used to defraud them of their money.

The six Nigerian nationals were arrested in South Africa in 2021, following a major takedown operation conducted by the Hawks/DPCI.

“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 formal handover is expected to take place this afternoon,” said the Hawks.

“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.”