FBI raids in Ghana and Nigeria free 100 workers, arrest 28 scammers and seize $11 million
The FBI’s Operation Blackout carried out coordinated raids in Ghana and Nigeria on Oct. 13, 2026, arresting 28 alleged scam operators, seizing more than $11 million in potentially freezable funds and freeing over 100 trafficked workers.
The strikes were part of a broader “Joint Disruption Week” that paired the FBI with the Department of Justice, local police and Meta to dismantle overseas fraud hubs that target U.S. consumers. Officials said the effort aims to halt the migration of scam compounds to sub‑Saharan Africa and protect vulnerable Americans from large‑scale financial loss.
In Ghana, authorities detained 19 suspects and identified 117 victims slated for repatriation to Nigeria. Nigerian officials plan to prosecute nine individuals for violations of local law. Across both countries, law‑enforcement seized more than 350 electronic devices that were used to facilitate phishing, money‑laundering and other cyber‑crime activities.
“Thanks to a brilliant partnership with the Department of Justice, across multiple African countries, we arrested 28 alleged criminal actors, seized over 350 devices, identified at least $11 million in potentially freezable funds, freed over 100 trafficked workers, and identified over 100 potential scam victims here at home,” FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital.
Meta’s involvement focused on removing fraudulent social‑media infrastructure. The company reported that, in coordination with the FBI, more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to the scams were taken offline, disrupting the channels scammers use to lure victims in the United States, the United Kingdom and beyond.
“Scams are a global threat that demand a global response,” Meta vice president and deputy general counsel Chris Sonderby said. “Working with the U.K. National Crime Agency, the FBI, DOJ and the Homeland Security Task Force, we took the fight to scam centers across West Africa.”
Authorities also identified over 100 American victims whose losses exceed $10 million, and warned that more than 10,000 Americans were alerted to potential fraud before any money was lost, potentially averting $670 million in further damage.
The operation’s next steps include repatriating the rescued workers, pursuing criminal prosecutions in both Ghana and Nigeria, and continuing to track cryptocurrency proceeds tied to the fraud networks. Law‑enforcement officials say the raid marks a decisive blow to a rapidly expanding transnational scam ecosystem.
