FBI Director Kash Patel says nine Nigerians have been arrested in an operation against international cybercrime networks.
Patel announced the arrests in a post on his official X account on Monday. He said agents also seized 53 electronic devices during the operation, which was carried out under “Operation Blackout.”
The operation also led investigators to $11 million in funds that could potentially be frozen. According to Patel, the funds were identified across several countries.
He thanked Nigerian law enforcement agencies and the FBI’s partners in London for their cooperation.
Patel said the operation targets networks that steal billions of dollars from Americans. He described the groups as “scam centres” that prey on victims and drain their life savings. He added that the suspects operate across borders because they believe law enforcement cannot reach them.
“They’re wrong,” he said. He ended with a warning to anyone targeting Americans from abroad: “JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU.”
The announcement points to growing international cooperation against cross-border fraud. However, Patel gave few specifics. He did not name the suspects, say where the arrests took place or identify the countries where the funds were found.
