The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices during an operation targeting international cybercrime networks accused of defrauding Americans.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed this in a statement posted on X on Sunday. He said the operation, codenamed Operation Blackout, also led to the identification of $11m in potentially recoverable funds across several countries.
Patel said the operation targeted criminal networks that use scam centres to defraud victims and steal their life savings. He added that the suspects operated across international borders, believing they could evade law enforcement.
The FBI director commended Nigerian law enforcement agencies and partners in London for their cooperation in the operation. He also vowed that the United States would continue pursuing individuals involved in online fraud against Americans, regardless of where they operated.
The latest arrests come amid increased cooperation between Nigerian and international law enforcement agencies to tackle cybercrime. Last month, South African authorities handed six Nigerians over to FBI officials over allegations that they defrauded more than 100 women through romance scams.
In August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission extradited two Nigerians to the United States over allegations of online sexual exploitation and sextortion involving two teenage boys who later died by suicide.
The FBI also arrested 22 Nigerians in August 2025 over alleged involvement in financially motivated sextortion schemes linked to a rise in suicides among American teenagers. Authorities have continued to pursue cross-border investigations targeting online fraud and related crimes.
