Joint International Operation Nabs Cyber Fraud Suspects in Ghana, Nigeria

An extensive international operation targeting online scam networks across West Africa has led to the apprehension of twenty-eight suspected fraudsters. This collaborative effort, involving the United States Department of Justice and the UK National Crime Agency, resulted in 19 arrests in Ghana and nine in Nigeria.

The agencies reported significant seizures, including 356 electronic devices, and identified an estimated $11 million in funds potentially recoverable from these criminal activities. Furthermore, the operation successfully dismantled over three million social media accounts linked to these scam centers within the region. A critical humanitarian outcome was the liberation of 117 individuals in Ghana who were allegedly trafficked by these fraudsters to perpetrate scams; these victims are now awaiting repatriation to Nigeria.

Investigators highlighted that this marks the first coordinated crackdown specifically aimed at West African fraud networks. The operation saw the participation of key local and international bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Ghana Cyber Security Authority, and 15 technology giants such as Meta, Microsoft, and Google. Following this initiative, Ghanaian authorities have already repatriated 120 Nigerian nationals.

Ghana's Communication Minister, Samuel George, confirmed that at least eight individuals are currently undergoing court proceedings. He added that numerous others are being processed to ascertain their involvement in the alleged criminal activities. Minister George reiterated the government's resolve to combat cybercrime, stating, "This operation reflects the government's commitment to deal with cybercrime and to prevent Ghana from becoming a destination for criminal networks." He further emphasized, "Ghana under President John Mahama will remain an unfavourable destination for cyber criminals."

FBI Director Kash Patel lauded the success, noting, "The robust partnership with the US Department of Justice, the private sector across multiple African countries has led to these numerous arrests, seizure of many gadgets, and we identified at least $11m money that we can freeze and save lives." He added, "This is what happens when law enforcement does their work with precision across other agencies. We have been scattering scam centres across the globe, where we are crushing the criminal industry that has been taking advantage of American citizens."

Details from the operations reveal specific outcomes:

In Ghana, authorities arrested 19 individuals in Sasaabi, Accra, seizing 303 electronic gadgets. They also identified 117 victims of human trafficking and an additional 89 victims of scams, which accounted for an estimated $8.3 million in losses. In the last week of September alone, multiple arrests were made across six locations, leading to the identification of 34 trafficking victims and the seizure of 129 electronic devices. The Ghana Police, National Security, and Cyber Security Authority collaborated with support from the NCA, FBI, and Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

In Nigeria, nine individuals were arrested during the enforcement period, and 53 electronic devices were confiscated. The targeted schemes included various online fraud operations aimed at global victims, such as impersonation scams, digital 'arrest' extortion scams, and cryptocurrency investment fraud.

According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Centre, a staggering 72,984 investment scams were reported in 2025 alone, with 72% of these being cryptocurrency investment fraud. The reported financial losses from these scams surged from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Losses specifically from cryptocurrency investment scams escalated by 24% in 2025, reaching over $7.2 billion. Authorities believe these figures represent only a fraction of the actual losses, as many victims do not report their cases. A US government report estimated that the annual global value of money stolen by scammers approached $64 billion by the end of 2023.