FIVE alleged leaders of the Black Axe criminal organisation have been extradited from South Africa to the US to face charges linked to romance scams, advance-fee fraud and money laundering. The US Department of Justice said the five Nigerian nationals led the group’s Cape Town zone, formally known as the Neo Black Movement of Africa. They were flown to the US on 11 September 2026 and appeared in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, on 14 September.
According to a superseding indictment, the group allegedly operated from Cape Town between 2011 and 2021, contacting US victims through social media, dating websites and Voice over Internet Protocol numbers while using aliases. Prosecutors said the schemes typically involved fabricated emergencies affecting someone supposedly travelling or working in South Africa. Victims were persuaded to send money or goods, and those who hesitated were allegedly threatened with the distribution of sensitive photographs.
Funds were moved through victims’ and other US account holders’ bank accounts, including accounts some victims were allegedly persuaded to open, while businesses were used to disguise proceeds alongside money from business email compromise.
All five face wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges. Three also face wire fraud counts, while three face aggravated identity theft charges. The extraditions followed arrests in South Africa in 2021, carried out at the request of US authorities. The charges are allegations, and all five defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.