The FBI and Nigerian law enforcement have arrested nine individuals and seized 53 electronic devices under Operation Blackout. Authorities also identified $11 million in freezable funds linked to international scam networks.
Nine people were arrested in Nigeria during an international cybercrime crackdown.
Authorities seized 53 electronic devices during the operation.
Investigators identified $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.
The wider operation targeted online scams, including cryptocurrency investment fraud and impersonation schemes.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrest of nine people in Nigeria and the seizure of 53 electronic devices during an international operation targeting cybercrime networks accused of defrauding victims across borders.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the figures in a post on X on Sunday, October 25, describing the operation as part of efforts to dismantle criminal networks allegedly stealing billions of dollars from Americans.
The operation, code-named Operation Blackout, also led investigators and private-sector partners to identify $11 million in funds across multiple countries that could potentially be frozen.
“Our latest operation in Nigeria delivered: nine arrests, 53 electronic devices seized, and $11 million in potentially freezable funds identified across multiple countries,” Patel wrote.
He said the targeted networks operated through scam centres that exploited victims, stole their life savings and conducted fraudulent activities across international borders.
“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.
“They’re wrong.”
The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the bureau’s partners in London for their cooperation, adding that authorities would continue pursuing individuals accused of targeting Americans from abroad.
The FBI’s announcement did not identify the nine suspects or disclose the specific locations where they were arrested. It also did not provide details of the allegations against each individual.
The operation forms part of a wider international crackdown coordinated by law enforcement agencies and private-sector companies to disrupt online fraud networks operating in West Africa.
In an announcement published on October 13, the United States Department of Justice said the joint enforcement effort involved agencies from several countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The wider operation resulted in 28 arrests, including 19 people arrested in Ghana and nine in Nigeria. Authorities in Ghana also seized 303 electronic devices, while the Nigerian operation accounted for 53 devices.
The Justice Department said the schemes targeted during the crackdown included law enforcement impersonation scams, digital arrest extortion, cryptocurrency investment fraud, also known as “pig butchering”, and other online fraud operations targeting victims around the world.
The operation also involved technology and financial companies that helped identify suspicious activity and disrupt scam-linked accounts and online infrastructure. According to the Justice Department, participating companies removed more than 3.7 million accounts, pages and groups used to target people in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
The department also reported that authorities in Ghana identified 117 victims of human trafficking who were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria. The victims were identified separately from the nine arrests reported in Nigeria.
Patel said at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds had been identified across multiple countries. However, authorities have not disclosed how much of the amount was connected directly to Nigeria or confirmed that the entire sum had been frozen or recovered.
The distinction is significant because identifying funds that may be frozen does not mean the money has already been seized or returned to victims.
The latest operation follows other international investigations involving Nigerians accused of online fraud. In September, six Nigerians were handed over to FBI officials by South African authorities over allegations of defrauding more than 100 women through romance scams.
The FBI has not publicly confirmed the identities of the nine people arrested in the latest operation or disclosed the status of any criminal charges against them.