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The United States’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine suspects in Nigeria during an operation targeting “international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans”.
In a statement published via X on Sunday, Kash Patel, the FBI director, said the mission dubbed “Operation Blackout”, led to the seizure of 53 electronic devices.
Patel said the operation also led to discovery of $11 million in “potentially freezable funds identified across multiple countries”.
The FBI director said the cybercrime networks exploit innocent victims to steal their life savings.
“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” the statement reads.
“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.
“Thanks to Nigerian law enforcement and our partners in London for their outstanding cooperation.”
Patel vowed to prosecute criminals targeting Americans from abroad.
In September, six Nigerians were handed over to FBI officials by South African authorities, over allegations of defrauding more than 100 women in a romance scam scheme.
In August, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) extradited two Nigerians to the US, over alleged online sexual exploitation and sextortion of two teenage boys who later died by suicide.
In August 2025, the FBI arrested 22 Nigerians for allegedly being connected to financially motivated sextortion schemes that have led to a rise in suicides among American teenagers.
