Investigators in Nigeria have identified $11m in potentially freezable funds across several countries following a cybercrime operation that resulted in nine arrests and the seizure of 53 electronic devices.
The findings point to the financial scale and international reach of the criminal networks targeted in Operation Blackout, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, who announced the results on Sunday.
Brandspur news reports that the operation involved Nigerian law enforcement agencies and partners in London, whose cooperation Patel acknowledged in his statement.
The investigation focused on networks accused of using scam centres to defraud Americans. Patel said the groups operated across international borders, targeting victims and stealing their savings.
Although the FBI disclosed the number of arrests and devices seized, it did not identify the suspects, reveal their locations in Nigeria or provide details about the electronic evidence recovered. The agency also did not specify whether any of the $11m had already been frozen or seized.
The distinction is significant because identifying funds that could potentially be frozen does not necessarily mean the money has been recovered. Further details would be needed to establish how much, if any, has been secured by authorities.
Patel said the United States would continue pursuing people suspected of targeting Americans through overseas cybercrime networks, regardless of where they operated.
The latest operation underscores the role of cross-border law enforcement cooperation in investigating online fraud, tracing suspected proceeds and gathering evidence against criminal networks.
