Monday October 26, 2026
By SituationREPORT
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has announced the arrest of nine people in Nigeria as part of an international operation targeting cybercriminal networks accused of defrauding Americans and operating scam centres across national borders.
FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed this in a post on X, stating that the operation, code-named Operation Blackout, also resulted in the seizure of 53 electronic devices and the identification of $11 million in funds considered potentially eligible for freezing across multiple countries.
Patel said the operation was aimed at dismantling international cybercriminal networks responsible for large-scale financial fraud against American victims.
“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” he said.
According to the FBI director, the networks operated scam centres where victims were deceived into surrendering their money, with some losing their life savings to fraudulent schemes.
He said the criminal groups operated across international borders, allegedly believing that geographical distance would shield them from law enforcement.
“These scam centers 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 in the operation, noting that international collaboration was essential to tackling cybercrime networks operating across multiple jurisdictions.
“Thanks to Nigerian law enforcement and our partners in London for their outstanding cooperation,” he said.
Patel also issued a warning to cybercriminals targeting Americans from overseas, insisting that law enforcement agencies would continue to pursue those responsible for online fraud.
“JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” he declared.
The operation formed part of a broader international crackdown on online scam networks operating in West Africa, involving law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners.
“JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” he declared.
The operation formed part of a broader international crackdown on online scam networks operating in West Africa, involving law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners.
The United States Department of Justice said the wider enforcement effort resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana, alongside the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices.
The coordinated effort also led to the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups allegedly associated with the scam networks.
The arrests, device seizures and removal of fraudulent online platforms formed part of efforts to disrupt the infrastructure used by cybercriminals to target victims, steal money and sustain fraudulent activities across national borders.
The operation underscores growing international cooperation between US authorities and their counterparts in West Africa to identify, investigate and dismantle cybercrime networks accused of exploiting online platforms to defraud victims.