FBI uncovers US$10m scam operation in Ghana, over 130 detained

FBI Director Kash Patel says more than 130 people have been arrested or detained in Ghana as part of a US-led operation targeting transnational scam networks accused of defrauding American victims.

In a post on X on Thursday, October 8, 2026, Mr Patel said the operation in Ghana had so far identified nearly US$10 million in losses involving 89 victims.

He said more than 300 devices had also been seized as part of the operation, which forms part of the FBI’s global Operation Blackout, targeting scam compounds and fraud networks operating across borders.

“These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come,” Mr Patel said.

The FBI Director indicated that the investigation remains ongoing.

According to Mr Patel, some of those detained in Ghana are themselves 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 also remains unclear whether any of those arrested will face prosecution in Ghana or extradition proceedings in the United States.

Mr Patel has previously said Operation Blackout has resulted in approximately US$17 billion in fraud-related assets being seized, alongside hundreds of arrests and the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.

The FBI says scam compounds are often large, fortified facilities where trafficked individuals are allegedly forced to carry out fraudulent schemes targeting victims in other countries.

Mr Patel 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 growing cooperation between Ghanaian and US authorities in tackling transnational financial and cybercrime.

In July 2026, 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.

US authorities accuse the 31-year-old of belonging to a network that targeted more than 80 elderly victims and allegedly defrauded them of more than US$8 million.

Mr 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 Department of Justice acknowledged the cooperation of several Ghanaian institutions in his arrest and extradition, including the Attorney-General’s Office, Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Police Service, Cyber Security Authority, National Intelligence Bureau and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra.

The FBI has not provided further details on the Ghana operation, with Mr Patel concluding his announcement with a warning that the bureau’s campaign against international scam networks is ongoing: “More to come.”