FBI Targets Global Scam Centres, Reports Billions Seized
The Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, says six suspects on the agency’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list have been captured across four continents, while a separate global crackdown on scam networks has led to the seizure of nearly $17bn. Patel disclosed the developments in posts on his official X account on Sunday, describing the arrests as part of the FBI’s efforts to track down alleged fraudsters who fled the United States to avoid prosecution. According to him, the six suspects collectively spent more than 4,000 days on the run, while fraud cases linked to the bureau’s most-wanted list involved losses exceeding $2bn. Patel said the suspects had believed they could evade American law enforcement by hiding abroad, but insisted that the FBI and its international partners would continue pursuing those accused of defrauding Americans, regardless of their location.
In a separate update, Patel said Operation Blackout, the FBI’s campaign against international scam centres, had resulted in nearly $17bn being seized, hundreds of alleged scammers arrested and thousands of trafficked workers freed. He added that more than 10,000 Americans had been warned before losing their money, helping to prevent an estimated $670m in potential financial losses. Patel said the operation involved disrupting criminal networks, targeting financial resources, rescuing victims and dismantling online infrastructure used to facilitate fraud. He also described scam centres as criminal enterprises that exploit trafficked workers while targeting victims through cross-border schemes. The FBI chief pledged continued cooperation with international partners to identify those responsible and disrupt their operations, warning that people involved in fraud against Americans would continue to face investigation and prosecution.
#UTVAfrica#
