What began as online relationships allegedly ended with more than 100 women in the United States losing millions of dollars, with six Nigerian men now extradited from South Africa to face prosecution.
The suspects, arrested in South Africa in 2021, are accused of using sophisticated online romance schemes to win the trust of their alleged victims before persuading them to part with money.
The alleged victims reportedly included pensioners and businesspeople, with the losses put at more than R100 million by South African authorities.
The six men are wanted in the United States over allegations of wire fraud and money laundering.
South African authorities also allege that the suspects were linked to the Black Axe organised criminal network.
Their movement from South Africa to the US followed a joint operation involving South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, and Interpol.
The suspects were taken from a correctional facility in Cape Town to Cape Town International Airport, where they were handed over to officials of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Secret Service.
The case highlights how online platforms can be exploited to establish seemingly personal relationships that allegedly become channels for large-scale financial fraud across international borders.
South African authorities said the extradition demonstrated the growing cooperation among law enforcement agencies in tackling organised crime that operates across national boundaries.
The six suspects are expected to face the allegations before a US court, where prosecutors will have to establish their case.
They remain accused persons and are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.