The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria over their alleged links to international cybercrime networks accused of defrauding victims, particularly those based in the United States.
The operation, known as “Operation Blackout,” resulted in the recovery of 53 electronic devices and the discovery of approximately $11 million in funds that could be subject to freezing across several countries.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the development in a statement published on his official X account on Sunday.
Patel explained that the operation focused on criminal networks running scam centres across international borders, where unsuspecting victims were allegedly defrauded and deprived of their life savings.
“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” he said.
“These scam centers exploit innocent victims, steal life savings, and operate across international borders believing they are beyond the reach of law enforcement. They’re wrong.”
The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
He also warned individuals involved in cybercrime schemes targeting Americans from abroad that they would face prosecution.
The arrests formed part of a broader international crackdown on transnational scam networks operating in West Africa, involving law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners.
The United States Department of Justice disclosed that the wider enforcement exercise resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana, alongside the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices.
The operation also facilitated the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups allegedly linked to scam networks targeting victims across multiple countries.
The coordinated efforts were aimed at disrupting the digital infrastructure used by cybercriminals to carry out fraud and expand their operations across national borders.
