The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices in an operation targeting international cybercrime networks accused of defrauding victims across borders.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the development on Sunday, describing the operation, code-named Operation Blackout, as part of efforts to dismantle scam networks targeting Americans.
Patel also disclosed that investigators had identified $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.
“Our latest operation in Nigeria delivered: nine arrests, 53 electronic devices seized, and $11 million in potentially freezable funds identified across multiple countries,” he said.
He accused the targeted networks of operating scam centres that exploit victims, steal their life savings and use international borders to evade law enforcement.
“They’re wrong,” Patel said, warning that US authorities would continue pursuing cybercriminals operating from abroad.
Nigerian Authorities Commended
The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the bureau’s partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
However, Patel did not disclose the identities of the nine suspects, the specific locations of their arrests or details of the individual cases under investigation.
The $11 million identified across multiple countries was described as potentially freezable, meaning the funds had been identified for possible freezing. The announcement did not establish that the entire amount had been seized.
Arrests Part Of Wider International Crackdown
The arrests in Nigeria form part of a broader international effort targeting online fraud networks operating across West Africa.
The US Department of Justice said a coordinated enforcement campaign involving law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana.
The wider operation also led to the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices and the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups linked to suspected scam operations.
Authorities said the schemes included cryptocurrency investment fraud, impersonation scams and online extortion targeting victims in several countries.
The operation involved US and UK agencies, Nigerian law enforcement bodies, Ghanaian authorities and private-sector partners working to disrupt suspected criminal networks and trace funds linked to alleged fraud.
The FBI said it would continue working with international partners to investigate cybercrime and pursue individuals suspected of targeting victims across national borders.
