The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the dismantling of a major scam operation in Ghana, resulting in the detention of more than 130 individuals and the seizure of over 300 devices, as part of a global effort targeting transnational fraud networks.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the development in a post on X on Thursday, October 8, stating that the operation had so far identified nearly US$10 million in losses and 89 victims.
“These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come,” Patel said.
According to the FBI Director, the investigation remains ongoing. He noted that some of those detained in Ghana are themselves victims of trafficking and will be repatriated to their home countries.
The identities of those arrested or detained, the specific locations of the operations, and the Ghanaian institutions involved have not been disclosed.
It also remains unclear whether any of those detained will face prosecution in Ghana or extradition proceedings in the United States.
The Ghana operation forms part of Operation Blackout, which the FBI describes as a global initiative targeting scam compounds engaged in fraud against Americans.
Patel has previously stated that Operation Blackout has resulted in approximately US$17 billion in fraud-related assets being seized. He has also credited the initiative with hundreds of arrests, the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers, and efforts to warn potential victims before they suffer financial losses.
A separate FBI prevention effort, Operation Level Up, has reportedly contacted more than 10,000 potential victims and prevented hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Patel has described the scam compounds targeted by these operations as large, fortified facilities where trafficked workers are allegedly forced to conduct fraud against victims abroad. He has also warned that criminal networks are increasingly shifting their operations to Africa as law enforcement pressure intensifies in Southeast Asia and other regions.
Thursday’s announcement comes amid strengthening cooperation between Ghanaian and US authorities on transnational financial and cybercrime.
In July, Ghanaian national Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, was extradited to the United States to face charges over his alleged involvement in a romance-fraud network.
The US Department of Justice said Kumi, 31, was accused of belonging to a network that targeted more than 80 elderly victims in the United States and allegedly defrauded them of more than US$8 million.
Kumi was arrested in Ghana in December 2025 and extradited on July 9, 2026. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
US authorities acknowledged the cooperation of several Ghanaian institutions in securing his arrest and extradition, including the Attorney-General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the National Intelligence Bureau, and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra.
Patel concluded his announcement with the phrase “More to come,” signalling that the bureau’s campaign against international scam networks is far from over.
The FBI has not provided further details on the identities of those arrested in Ghana or the precise location and nature of the operation.
