A massive international law enforcement operation has led to the arrest of 5,811 suspects and the seizure of more than $293 million in criminal assets during a coordinated crackdown on cyber-enabled fraud across 97 countries.
The initiative, known as Operation First Light 2026, targeted organized fraud networks involved in business email compromise (BEC), romance scams, investment fraud, sextortion, impersonation schemes, and large-scale money laundering between January 15 and April 30. Investigators carried out coordinated raids, froze suspicious bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets, and disrupted financial networks used by cybercriminals to move stolen funds.
Authorities said the operation uncovered more than 142,000 victims worldwide, underscoring the growing global impact of social engineering scams on individuals, businesses, and government organizations. During the investigation, law enforcement analyzed over 152,000 cases, blocked 31,014 bank accounts, and identified an additional 15,606 suspects who remain under investigation.
Officials said the operation demonstrates the importance of international cooperation in combating cyber-enabled financial crime. By working together across borders, participating agencies were able to disrupt organized criminal groups, trace illicit financial flows, and strengthen efforts to combat the money laundering networks that support global fraud operations.