Six Nigerians extradited to United States for romance scam fraud

Six Nigerian men have been sent from South Africa to the United States to face criminal charges. They are accused of running an online romance scam that stole more than six million dollars from over 100 American women. The victims included retired people and business owners. The men were arrested in South Africa in 2021 and held in a Cape Town prison. On Friday, FBI and Secret Service officers took them into custody at Cape Town's airport. Prosecutors say the men belong to Black Axe, a Nigerian crime network. Interpol has linked this group to large-scale financial fraud around the world. In romance scams, criminals use fake identities online to build trust with victims before asking for money. The men now face wire fraud and money-laundering charges in the United States.