FBI Director Kash Patel says a scam operation in Ghana has been dismantled as part of the bureau’s global Operation Blackout, which targets transnational fraud networks.
In a post on X on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Patel said the operation in Ghana had so far identified nearly US$10 million in losses and 89 victims.
He said more than 130 people had also been arrested or detained, while over 300 devices were seized during the operation.
“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.
Patel said the investigation remains ongoing.
According to his account, some of those detained in Ghana are believed to be victims of trafficking and will be repatriated to their home countries.
However, the FBI has not disclosed the identities of those arrested or detained, the locations of the operations or the specific Ghanaian institutions involved.
It is also unclear whether those arrested will face prosecution in Ghana or possible extradition to the United States.
The Ghana operation forms part of Operation Blackout, a global FBI initiative targeting scam compounds involved in fraud against Americans.
Patel has previously said the operation has resulted in about US$17 billion in fraud-related assets being seized. He has also linked the initiative to hundreds of arrests, the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers and efforts to warn potential victims before they lose money.
The FBI’s separate prevention initiative, Operation Level Up, has reportedly contacted more than 10,000 potential victims and helped prevent hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
Patel has described scam compounds as large, fortified facilities where trafficked workers are allegedly forced to carry out fraudulent schemes against people in other countries.
He has also warned that criminal networks are increasingly shifting their operations towards Africa as law enforcement pressure intensifies in Southeast Asia and other regions.
The latest development comes amid increased cooperation between Ghanaian and US authorities in tackling 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 allegedly part of a network that targeted more than 80 elderly victims in the United States and defrauded them of more than US$8 million.
Kumi was arrested in Ghana in December 2025 and extradited to the US on July 9, 2026. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.
The US authorities acknowledged the cooperation of several Ghanaian institutions in securing his arrest and extradition, including the Attorney-General’s Office, Economic and Organised Crime Office, Ghana Police Service, Cyber Security Authority, National Intelligence Bureau and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra.
Patel ended his announcement on the Ghana operation by saying “More to come,” suggesting the bureau’s campaign against international scam networks is continuing.
The FBI has not provided further details on the identities of those arrested in Ghana or the precise location and nature of the operation.
