The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices during an operation targeting international cybercrime networks accused of defrauding Americans.
Gatekeepers News reports that FBI Director, Kash Patel, disclosed the development in a statement posted on his official X account on Sunday.
Patel said the operation, codenamed Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.
“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.”
FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and their partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.
He also warned criminals targeting Americans from abroad that they would face prosecution.
The arrests form part of broader international efforts to disrupt cybercrime networks operating across national borders.
In October, the United States Department of Justice announced the results of a coordinated operation involving law enforcement agencies and private-sector partners to tackle transnational cybercrime.
The wider operation resulted in 28 arrests across Nigeria and Ghana, the seizure of hundreds of electronic devices and the removal of more than 3.7 million fraudulent online accounts, pages and groups allegedly linked to scam networks.
The $11 million identified during the operation represents funds that could potentially be frozen across multiple countries and does not necessarily mean the money has been recovered.
FBI did not disclose the identities of the nine suspects arrested in Nigeria or the specific locations where the arrests were made.
