The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) has arrested two suspects in Nigeria during separate enforcement operations into major cybercrime, dismantling an international investment fraud scheme that generated over $2.4 million in criminal proceeds.
INTERPOL publicly announced the results of the enforcement operation and the arrests on October 22, 2026.
​The arrests formed part of Operation Serengeti III, an international law enforcement campaign conducted across 21 participating nations from June 29 through August 31, 2026, aimed at combating cross-border digital financial crime.
​The primary Nigerian probe targeted an international investment scam heavily promoted through encrypted messaging applications.
Investigators established that the illicit network tricked victims around the world into fraudulent investment ventures, subsequent financial tracing revealed that more than $2.4 million in suspected criminal proceeds was funneled through the network, with the majority laundered using complex cryptocurrency transactions. Authorities arrested one suspect tied to the scheme and seized a luxury vehicle suspected to have been bought with the proceeds of the crime.
​In a parallel enforcement action in Nigeria, officers arrested a second suspect operating a business email compromise (BEC) and phishing network. That individual allegedly harvested software credentials and compiled a massive database containing approximately 2.1 million stolen email addresses, leading officers to confiscate over $1 million worth of digital and electrical infrastructure.
​Highlighting the necessity of international law enforcement cooperation, INTERPOL Director of Cybercrime Neal Jetton emphasized that while cybercrime is increasingly borderless, coordinated international partnerships remain the most effective tool to disrupt criminal networks, trace illicit assets, and protect communities.
​On a global scale, Operation Serengeti III led to the arrest of 1,462 suspects, the dismantling of 10,909 malicious networks, and the recovery of more than $105 million in stolen funds. Law enforcement agencies identified nearly 66,000 victims targeted by cybercrime syndicates worldwide, linking the overall criminal operations to financial losses exceeding $385 million.
​While INTERPOL withheld the names of the two suspects in Nigeria pending court filings, forensic experts continue analysing seized digital evidence to identify further co-conspirators.
