FBI Director Kash Patel details global crackdown on senior-citizen crypto scams

Kash Patel explained that the FBI’s Operation Blackout targets large scam compounds in regions such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East, where trafficked workers are forced to run fraud operations against U.S. seniors. The initiative combines overseas raids, asset seizures and communication shutdowns, aiming to rescue workers and return stolen funds. In a recent raid on a Cambodian resort compound, agents searched 28 buildings and confiscated dozens of hard drives and computers.

The domestic side, Operation Level Up, proactively contacts likely victims, having notified more than 10,000 people and prevented an estimated $660 million in cryptocurrency losses, while also freezing $122 million. The bureau has also taken down hundreds of scam websites and referred dozens of individuals for suicide intervention. Recent cooperation with a DOJ strike force helped dismantle scam centers in Madagascar linked to Chinese organized crime, reflecting a shift of these operations toward Africa.