The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices during an international operation targeting cybercrime networks accused of defrauding victims, particularly in the United States.
The operation, code-named Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of $11 million in funds across multiple countries that could potentially be frozen, according to FBI Director Kash Patel.
Patel disclosed the development in a post on his official X account on Sunday, saying the operation was aimed at dismantling international criminal networks responsible for online fraud.
He said the networks operated across national borders and exploited unsuspecting victims, often stealing their life savings through sophisticated online scams.
In his statement, Patel said the suspects’ activities were part of a wider pattern of cybercrime in which criminal groups used digital platforms to deceive victims and obtain money illegally.
“These scam centres exploit innocent victims, steal life savings, and operate across international borders believing they are beyond the reach of law enforcement,” Patel said.
He commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation, adding that the FBI would continue pursuing individuals involved in online fraud regardless of where they operated.
The arrests formed part of a wider international crackdown on cybercrime networks operating in West Africa, coordinated by law enforcement agencies and private-sector technology companies.
According to the United States Department of Justice, the broader operation resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana, the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups, and the identification of victims of human trafficking.
In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 people in Sasaabi, a suburb of Accra, and seized 303 electronic devices. Investigators also identified 117 suspected human trafficking victims awaiting repatriation to Nigeria and 89 people who allegedly lost about $8.3 million to online scams.
The cybercrime schemes targeted during the crackdown included impersonation of law enforcement officers, digital arrest extortion, cryptocurrency investment fraud and other online scams targeting victims across different countries.
The operation involved the FBI, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency and other international agencies.
Authorities said continued cooperation between law enforcement agencies and technology companies would help disrupt criminal networks, trace suspected illicit funds and protect victims of online fraud.
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