The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested or detained more than 130 people following a raid on a suspected scam centre in Ghana, with nearly $10m in identified losses linked to the operation.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed this in an X post on Thursday, saying 89 victims had been identified and more than 300 devices seized during the operation.
He described the action as “another takedown this week out of Ghana” under the FBI’s Operation Blackout, a global campaign targeting scam centres accused of defrauding American citizens.
According to Patel, some of those arrested or detained were trafficking victims who would be repatriated to their home countries.
“Investigation is ongoing,” he said.
Patel said the scam compounds targeted American citizens, adding that they “destroy lives”.
“These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives,” he said, adding that the FBI was working to dismantle such operations globally.
He said Operation Blackout had so far resulted in roughly $17bn being seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed.
The FBI director also said more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing money, while an estimated $670m in losses had been prevented through the operation.
The Ghana operation is the latest action under Operation Blackout, with the FBI working with international partners to target networks involved in large-scale fraud and the trafficking of workers into scam operations.
Patel did not disclose the identities of those arrested or detained in Ghana or provide further details about the suspected scam centre.
