The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested nine people in Nigeria and seized 53 electronic devices as part of an operation targeting international cybercrime networks, FBI Director Kash Patel has said.

Patel disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account on Sunday, saying the operation, known as Operation Blackout, was aimed at disrupting criminal networks involved in online fraud targeting Americans.

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According to the FBI director, the operation also led to the identification of $11 million in potentially freezable funds across multiple countries.

“Operation Blackout is taking the fight directly to the international cybercriminal networks stealing billions from Americans,” Patel said.

He added that the operation in Nigeria resulted in nine arrests, the seizure of 53 electronic devices and the identification of the funds.

Patel said the criminal networks operated across national borders and used scam centres to defraud victims.

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

The FBI director credited Nigerian law enforcement agencies and partners in London for their cooperation during the operation.

He said the joint efforts demonstrated the importance of international collaboration in tackling cybercrime networks that operate across jurisdictions.

Patel warned that the United States would continue to pursue individuals involved in cybercrime regardless of where they operate.

He said the latest operation formed part of broader efforts to dismantle international criminal networks responsible for defrauding American victims.

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

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The FBI did not disclose in the statement the identities of those arrested, their specific locations in Nigeria or the countries where the potentially freezable funds were identified.