FBI And International Partners Arrest 22 Nigerians In Operation Against Sextortion.
The FBI, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from Canada, Australia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, has conducted a groundbreaking operation to tackle financially motivated sextortion schemes originating from Nigeria, resulting in the arrest of 22 suspects.
Dubbed *Operation Artemis*, the effort saw a surge of resources and personnel deployed to Nigeria, working closely with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to address the alarming rate of sextortion-related suicides attributed to Nigerian perpetrators. Authorities revealed that approximately half of those arrested were directly linked to victims who tragically took their own lives.
The operation represents a major step forward in the global fight against child exploitation, with the FBI reaffirming its commitment to bringing international perpetrators to justice.
“Operation Artemis exemplifies the FBI’s never-ending mission to protect our most vulnerable, and to pursue the heinous criminals harming our children, no matter where they hide,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This operation highlights the critical need for international cooperation to address this growing threat, and it’s a fight we cannot take on without our valued partners across the globe.”
The FBI has urged parents and guardians to continue educating children about online safety, stressing that the agency will relentlessly pursue those who prey on young people.
The announcement comes amid a worrying rise in sextortion cases, with the FBI reporting a 30 per cent increase in related tips received by its National Threat Operations Centre between October 2024 and March 2025, compared to the previous year.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3), over 54,000 victims were reported in 2024, up from 34,000 in 2023. Financial losses linked to sextortion schemes have amounted to nearly $65 million over the past two years.
The FBI noted that financially motivated sextortion schemes have increasingly targeted young males aged 14 to 17, tragically resulting in more than 20 minor victims dying by suicide in recent years.
Through its Child Exploitation Operational Unit (CEOU), the FBI has collaborated with all 55 of its field offices to identify nearly 3,000 victims of financially motivated sextortion.
Operation Artemis stands as a testament to the power of international collaboration and the shared commitment to protecting young people across the world from online predators.
