Six Nigerians accused of romance scams to be extradited to the US

Fonte da imagem, Getty Images Legenda da imagem, Aposentados e empresários foram alvo de relacionamentos online falsos.

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Polícia sul-africana está entregando seis nigerianos procurados nos EUA por supostas fraudes de romance online a agentes do FBI mais tarde na sexta-feira.

Those being extradited were arrested in 2021 and are believed to be members of crime syndicate Black Axe - a Nigerian mafia-style gang tied to human trafficking, internet fraud and murder.

Some of their reported victims included pensioners and businesspeople "who were targeted through sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money", according to South Africa's elite Hawks police unit.

O grupo será “transportado de uma instituição correccional em Cape Town” para o aeroporto na manhã de sexta-feira, onde será “entregue a oficiais do FBI e do Serviço Secreto dos Estados Unidos”, disse o porta‑voz da Hawks, o coronel Katlego Mogale, em comunicado.

They would face wire fraud and money-laundering charges upon their arrival in the US, she added.

Black Axe is a shadowy criminal network known for its extreme violence and operates across Africa, Europe and North America.

Uma investigação da BBC Eye em 2021 sugeriu que o sindicato havia se tornado um dos grupos de crime organizado mais extensos e perigosos do mundo.

Nigeria is its main recruitment ground and many of its members are university educated and inducted during their schooling.

The group has been on the radar of law enforcement agencies for a number of years.

Operações do FBI contra a Black Axe foram lançadas em novembro de 2019 e em setembro de 2021, culminando na acusação de mais de 35 indivíduos por fraude na internet de valor multimilionário.

Since then there have been several other operations across multiple countries targeting Black Axe co-ordinated by the global policing agency Interpol.

Last month, Interpol said during its latest one - which took place between November 2025 and June 2026 - seven sites in South Africa linked to a syndicate involved in romance and investment scams were raided.

It led to the arrests of 39 people, the seizure of money and the blocking of more than 250 bank accounts.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.