Six Nigerians to be extradited to US on romance scam charges

South African police announced that six individuals are set to face federal wire‑fraud and money‑laundering charges in the United States. The suspects, all South African nationals, were apprehended in a coordinated operation that involved both the South African Police Service and U.S. law‑enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice. Authorities allege that the group participated in a scheme that used fraudulent electronic communications to solicit investments, subsequently diverting the proceeds through a series of offshore accounts to conceal their origin.

The indictment, filed in a Manhattan federal court, outlines accusations that the defendants knowingly executed a multi‑million‑dollar fraud that targeted investors in the United States and abroad. Prosecutors say the scheme involved the creation of false business documents, the use of shell corporations, and the transfer of funds through complex financial networks to evade detection. The six are expected to be extradited to the United States to stand trial, where they will confront up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted.