INTERPOL nabs two Nigerian yahoo boys over $2.4m fraud, recovers $105m in Africa
The International Criminal Police Organisation, INTERPOL, has arrested two Nigerian internet fraudsters, also known as ‘yahoo boys’ and 1,460 others from other African countries. The operation, codenamed Operation Serengeti III, which targeted cyber-enabled fraud, ransomware, business email compromise, BEC, online scams and digital extortion also led to the arrest of 1,462 suspects and recovery…
Interpol's Operation Serengeti III, a collaborative effort involving 21 African nations, has resulted in the arrest of 1,462 individuals and the disruption of 10,909 malicious online networks. This operation has led to the recovery of approximately $105 million, or Ksh13.6 billion, in illicit funds. The investigation focused on criminal networks involved in ransomware attacks, business email compromise, online scams, and digital extortion.
INTERPOL's Cybercrime Director Neal Jetton emphasized the borderless nature of cybercrime, stating that international cooperation is crucial in combating these threats. Financial investigations indicate that the criminal activities led to losses exceeding $385 million. The operation also dismantled transnational fraud rings, arrested suspects in Uganda and Angola, and seized illegal cryptocurrency mining equipment in Angola.
However, the discrepancy between the reported losses and the recovered funds highlights the ongoing challenges in tracing and recovering illicit proceeds.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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