Six Nigerians extradited from South Africa to U.S. over alleged romance scam — Eye Radio

South Africa has extradited six Nigerian nationals to the United States to face charges of alleged wire fraud and money laundering linked to an international online romance scam.

The six men, identified as Perry Osagiede, Collins Owhofasa Otughwor, Osariemen Eric Clement, Musa Mudashiru, Franklyn Edosa Osagiede, and Prince Ibeabuchi Mark, were handed over to U.S. authorities on September 11, 2026.

South African authorities allege that the suspects were members of the Black Axe organised criminal network and targeted more than 100 American women, including retirees and businesspeople.

They are accused of defrauding their victims of more than 100 million South African rand, equivalent to about 6.2 million U.S. dollars, through sophisticated online romance scams.

The suspects were arrested in Cape Town in 2021 and were transferred to officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service at Cape Town International Airport before being extradited to the United States.

Authorities allege that the suspects used online identities and romantic relationships to gain the trust of victims before obtaining money from them under various false pretences.

The case highlights the international nature of financial and cyber-enabled crimes, with investigations involving multiple countries and law enforcement agencies.

The six suspects are expected to face the U.S. charges of wire fraud and money laundering.

However, the allegations against them have not been proven in court, and they remain presumed innocent unless and until found guilty.

The extradition also demonstrates how international financial crime investigations can continue for years, even after suspects have been arrested or moved between countries.

The six men were arrested in 2021, and five years later, they have been extradited to the United States to answer to the allegations against them.