The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that its expanded global campaign against foreign fraud operations resulted in 28 arrests, the seizure of over $11 million in potentially freezable funds, and the takedown of millions of social media accounts linked to fraud. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the agency's efforts in Africa last week also led to the rescue of more than 100 trafficked workers and the identification of over 100 potential scam victims in the United States.
Operation Blackout is the FBI's global initiative to dismantle scam compounds through overseas raids, asset seizures, and the disruption of digital infrastructure. The agency said authorities worked to rescue trafficked workers and return stolen money to victims as part of this broader effort. Patel described the operation as a partnership with the Department of Justice across multiple African countries.
The recent actions were part of a "Joint Disruption Week" coordinated from London. During this period, law enforcement conducted raids in Ghana and Nigeria. In Ghana, 19 suspects were arrested and detained, while 117 victims are pending repatriation to Nigeria. In Nigeria, local authorities will prosecute nine individuals arrested for violations of Nigerian law. The FBI noted that these operations follow Patel's earlier warnings that international scam networks were expanding beyond Southeast Asia and the Middle East into central and sub-Saharan Africa.
Meta collaborated with the FBI, the UK National Crime Agency, the Department of Justice, and the Homeland Security Task Force to address the digital aspects of the fraud. Chris Sonderby, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Meta, said the company removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages, and groups targeting people in the US and UK. Sonderby added that Meta shared leads on over 30 suspected scam centers, which contributed to arrests, rescues, and cryptocurrency seizures.
Since its inception, Operation Blackout has resulted in the seizure of roughly $17 billion and the arrest of hundreds of alleged scammers. The FBI reported that thousands of trafficked workers have been freed and more than 10,000 Americans were warned about potential fraud before losing money, preventing an estimated $670 million in financial losses. Patel previously told Fox News Digital that many victims are senior citizens.
Criminal networks are also adopting artificial intelligence to enhance their fraud schemes. Jack Stubbs, lead scams investigator at OpenAI, stated that AI provides scammers with tools for voice cloning and creating flawless communications that eliminate language barriers. OpenAI is using AI to disrupt scam operations and share insights with industry and law enforcement partners to identify networks across platforms.
In September, a Justice Department Scam Center Strike Force team assisted authorities in Madagascar to take down 13 scam centers operated by Chinese organized crime syndicates. That operation involved processing more than 3,200 electronic devices.