Six Nigerian nationals wanted in the US for defrauding women of more than R100 million, in love scams, are being extradited from Cape Town.

The Hawks say the six men are alleged to be members of an organised crime group known as Black Axe, which allegedly targeted women through online romance scams. 

They are believed to have defrauded more than 100 women in America.

“Among the alleged victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were reportedly targeted through sophisticated online relationships used to defraud them of their money,” said Hawks spokesperson Katlego Mogale in a statement.

The men were arrested in South Africa in 2021 during a takedown operation by the Hawks, and have been held at the correctional facility in Cape Town. They are officially being handed over to US law enforcement authorities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service, at the Cape Town International Airport on Friday afternoon.

The Hawks say the extradition process was completed alongside INTERPOL South Africa.

The group is set to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering in the US.

“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,” said the Hawks.