A coordinated international operation led by INTERPOL and AFRIPOL has led to multiple arrests in Nigeria, including suspects linked to a massive cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme believed to have defrauded investors across 17 countries of over $562 million.
While the names and nationalities of the arrested suspects were not disclosed, INTERPOL said the two-month sweep (July–September 2025) dubbed Operation Catalyst, targeted financial crimes connected to terrorism financing and money laundering across Africa.
INTERPOL described the crackdown as the first of its kind, leading to 83 arrests across six African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Angola, with authorities identifying more than 160 persons of interest and tracing illicit funds worth around $260 million in both fiat and virtual currencies.