Authorities in Ghana and Nigeria arrested 28 people in a crackdown on West African scam networks that included cryptocurrency investment fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement.
The operation also identified 117 trafficking victims in Ghana who were awaiting repatriation to Nigeria, according to the U.K.’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and saw private companies identify more than $11 million in funds that could be frozen.
Partners also reported cryptocurrency seizures but did not disclose their value or the assets involved. The $11 million represents funds flagged for a possible freeze, not confirmed recoveries.
The NCA hosted the operation that brought tech firms and authorities together, to target networks targeting people in the U.S., U.K. and other countries. The DOJ described it as the first such joint operation focused on West Africa.
Crypto exchanges Coinbase and Binance participated alongside blockchain…
