The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested nine people in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices in an international crackdown on cybercrime networks accused of defrauding Americans of millions of dollars.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the results of the operation, dubbed Operation Blackout, saying investigators had also identified US$11 million in funds across multiple countries that could potentially be frozen.

In a post on X, Patel said the operation targeted international cybercriminal networks operating scam centres that exploit victims and steal their life savings.

“These scam centres exploit innocent victims, steal life savings, and operate across international borders believing they are beyond the reach of law enforcement,” Patel said.

He credited Nigerian law enforcement agencies and US partners in London for their cooperation in the operation.

Patel warned that the FBI would continue pursuing criminals targeting Americans from overseas, stressing that international borders would not shield them from prosecution.

“To the criminals targeting Americans from overseas: JUSTICE WILL FIND YOU,” he said.

The FBI did not provide further details about the identities of those arrested, the specific scams under investigation or the countries in which the potentially freezeable funds were identified.

The operation highlights growing cross-border law enforcement cooperation in efforts to disrupt cybercrime networks and recover funds linked to online fraud.