The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the arrest of nine suspects in Nigeria as part of an international operation targeting scam centres accused of defrauding victims across borders.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the arrests in a statement posted on X on Monday, saying investigators had also identified $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.
According to Patel, the operation, code-named Operation Blackout, targeted cybercriminal networks accused of exploiting victims, stealing their life savings and operating across international borders in an attempt to evade law enforcement.
The FBI said 53 electronic devices were seized during the operation, which forms part of efforts to disrupt international online fraud networks targeting Americans.
“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,” he added.
The FBI director said the operation was aimed at confronting cybercriminal networks responsible for financial losses running into billions of dollars, particularly among victims in the United States.
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Patel also commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the FBI’s partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
“Thanks to Nigerian law enforcement and our partners in London for their outstanding cooperation,” he said.
He warned individuals involved in online scams targeting Americans from overseas that they would face efforts to bring them to justice.
“To the criminals targeting Americans from overseas: JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” Patel stated.
The FBI did not identify the nine suspects, specify the locations of the alleged scam centres in Nigeria or provide details of the charges they may face in the statement.
It also did not disclose the countries in which the $11 million in potentially freezable funds were identified.
The announcement highlights continued international law enforcement cooperation aimed at disrupting cybercrime networks and tracing funds suspected of being linked to online fraud.