NewzSix Nigerians alleged to be part of a syndicate defrauding women in the United States (US) will on Friday be handed over to US authorities. The suspected were arrested in 2021 and will be moved from a holding facility in Cape Town to the city’s airport, after which they will be sent to the US for prosecution. In conjunction with Interpol, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) will facilitate the handover of the suspects to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Secret Service.
Millions lost to alleged love scams The suspects are accused of defrauding a large number of US women of millions of rands by faking and abusing online relationships. “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 or love scams,” national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlende Mathe stated on Friday.
Alleged victims of the Nigerian Casanovas were pensioners and businesspeople duped in what Mathe described as “sophisticated online relationships” perpetuated for financial gain. “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,” Mathe concluded. Romance scams A consumer advice warning issued by the US’ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) previously warned US nationals on how not to fall prey to online lovers.
The FTC state that romance scammers adjust their story depending on the situation and stress the importance of not sending money to a person one had never met. The scam generally involves the assertion that an in-person meeting is not possible or unlikely, after which the victim is requested to make payment for a personal matter using detailed payment instructions. “Once they gain your trust, they’ll ask for your help to pay medical expenses for them or a family member, buy their ticket to visit you, pay for their visa, or help them pay fees to get them out of trouble.
“They may even offer to help you get started in cryptocurrency investing.
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