‘Ghanaian Agencies Led the Operation’ – Sam George Challenges FBI Over Latest Fraud Crackdown
Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, has pushed back against the FBI for portraying the latest fraud crackdown in Ghana as an independent operation rather than a transnational collaboration.
His response followed a post by FBI Director Kash Patel highlighting the results of “Operation Blackout”, a global crackdown on scam centres targeting victims, particularly American citizens.
The FBI said the latest takedown in Ghana had so far resulted in more than 130 individuals being arrested or detained, with over 300 devices seized. It also reported 89 identified victims and nearly $10 million in identified losses, while noting that the investigation remains ongoing.
But the minister, who is responsible for cybersecurity, said the success of the operation should be viewed as a product of international collaboration rather than the work of one agency.
According to him, Ghanaian law enforcement and intelligence agencies were at the forefront of the operations, with support from the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) and the FBI.
The Ghanaian government has been working with international partners to disrupt cybercrime activities, while the Cyber Security Authority, Ghana Police Service and national security agencies have played roles in investigations and operations targeting suspected cybercriminal networks.
The recent crackdown involved a series of sting operations conducted in Ghana between 25 and 28 September, according to Ghanaian authorities.
Sam George warned that presenting the crackdown as though the FBI had acted independently could undermine the spirit of cooperation required to tackle increasingly international cybercrime networks.
“To suggest the FBI acted solely to execute this operation in your tweet undermines the potential for future collaboration,” he said.
He urged the FBI to recognise the value of the partnership between Ghanaian and international agencies, particularly as both sides continue working to dismantle cybercrime networks.
