More than 130 people have been arrested or detained in Ghana after the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) dismantled a scam operation targeting American citizens, FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The operation has so far identified nearly US$10 million in losses and 89 victims.
Patel said more than 300 devices were seized in the takedown, which forms part of the FBI’s global anti-fraud campaign codenamed “Operation Blackout”.
In a post on X, the FBI Director described it as “another takedown this week out of Ghana” and said the investigation is ongoing. “These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives,” he wrote.
According to Patel, the number of people arrested or detained includes victims who will be repatriated to their home countries.
FBI Ghana scam raid: 130 detained and 300 devices seized
The FBI has not disclosed the exact location of the scam compound in Ghana or the identities of those arrested or detained.
It is also not yet clear which Ghanaian agencies took part in the operation, or whether suspects will be prosecuted locally or face extradition to the United States.
Patel said the FBI was “crushing them in every corner of the world” and promised “more to come”.
Ghana scam operation in figures
- People arrested or detained: more than 130 (including victims to be repatriated)
- Victims identified so far: 89
- Identified losses: nearly US$10 million
- Devices seized: more than 300
- Main targets: American citizens
- Status: investigation ongoing
What is the FBI’s Operation Blackout?
Operation Blackout is the FBI’s global campaign against scam compounds and transnational fraud networks that target Americans.
Patel has said the operation has seized roughly US$17 billion linked to the schemes. Its domestic prevention arm, Operation Level Up, has warned more than 10,000 potential victims before they lost money.
Earlier actions under the campaign included an August raid on a scam compound in Cambodia and a September takedown of 13 scam centres in Madagascar.
Why scam networks are moving to Africa
Patel has warned that criminal scam networks are increasingly shifting operations to central and sub-Saharan Africa as pressure mounts on them in Southeast Asia.
He said the FBI is already positioned to act in the region, and the Ghana operation is the latest sign of that focus.
Ghana’s recent crackdown on cyber fraud
The FBI announcement comes months after Ghanaian influencer Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, was extradited to the US on July 9, 2026. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. GhanaTrends earlier reported on Abu Trica’s extradition to the United States.
According to the US Department of Justice, his alleged network targeted elderly Americans and defrauded them of more than US$8 million through romance scams.
Locally, the Cyber Security Authority (CSA), working with the Ghana Police Service, National Security and the Ghana Immigration Service, arrested 141 suspected cybercrime operatives at Tabora and Lashibi in Accra in December 2025. Investigators seized 38 laptops and 150 mobile phones in that operation.
FBI Busts Ghana Scam Compound: 130+ Detained, 300 Devices Seized, US$10m Losses Identified [X POST]
OPERATION BLACKOUT: this FBI’s global scam center fraud demolition.
Another takedown this week out of Ghana:
-Nearly $10 million in identified losses so far
-89 victims identified
-130+ individuals arrested or detained (including victims who will be repatriated to home country)
-300+ devices seizedInvestigation is ongoing.
These scam compounds target American citizens and destroy lives – and this @FBI is crushing them in every corner of the world. More to come.
Operation Blackout totals so far:
-Roughly $17 BILLION seized
-Hundreds of alleged scammers arrested
-Thousands of trafficked workers freed
-10,000+ Americans warned before losing their money
-$670 MILLION in estimated losses prevented— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 8, 2026
What the FBI raid means for Ghana
The takedown adds to growing international attention on Ghana as a base for online fraud targeting foreigners.
For Ghanaians, it is a reminder that romance scams, investment fraud and other online schemes now attract cross-border investigations, extradition and asset seizures.
The reference to victims being repatriated also suggests some people found at the compound may have been brought into Ghana from other countries, although the FBI has not given details.
What happens next
Patel said the investigation is ongoing and more operations are expected.
Further details are likely to come from the FBI or Ghanaian security agencies, including the location of the compound, the nationalities of those held and whether any charges will be filed in Ghana or the US.
Key details at a glance
- The FBI dismantled a scam operation in Ghana targeting Americans.
- More than 130 people were arrested or detained, including victims to be repatriated.
- 89 victims and nearly US$10 million in losses have been identified.
- More than 300 devices were seized.
- The raid is part of the FBI’s global Operation Blackout.
- FBI Director Kash Patel announced it on X on October 8, 2026.
- The location and identities of suspects have not been disclosed.
FAQs
How many people were arrested in the FBI scam raid in Ghana?
More than 130 people were arrested or detained, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. The figure includes victims who will be repatriated to their home countries.
What is Operation Blackout by the FBI?
Operation Blackout is the FBI’s global crackdown on scam compounds and fraud networks targeting Americans. Patel says it has seized about US$17 billion linked to the schemes.
How much money was lost in the Ghana scam operation?
The FBI has identified nearly US$10 million in losses and 89 victims so far. The investigation is ongoing, so the figures could change.
The FBI’s takedown of a scam compound in Ghana, with more than 130 people detained and over 300 devices seized, marks a significant step in the agency’s Operation Blackout campaign. With nearly US$10 million in losses already identified and the investigation still ongoing, more details on the suspects, the location and possible prosecutions are expected in the coming days.
