In a groundbreaking international operation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in collaboration with law enforcement agencies from Canada, Australia, Nigeria, and the United Kingdom, has arrested 22 Nigerian nationals involved in financially motivated sextortion schemes. The operation, known as Operation Artemis, marks a significant effort to address the alarming rise in sextortion-related suicides linked to Nigerian-based perpetrators.
According to the FBI, Operation Artemis was launched in coordination with Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to disrupt criminal networks responsible for targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly minors, across the globe. Of the 22 arrested suspects, approximately half have been directly linked to victims who tragically took their own lives.
“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. He emphasized the vital role of international cooperation, noting that such global threats cannot be tackled without strong partnerships.
The arrests come amid a troubling surge in sextortion cases. From October 2024 to March 2025, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center recorded a 30 percent increase in sextortion-related tips compared to the previous year. Data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Centre (IC3) further revealed that over 54,000 victims were recorded in 2024 alone, a sharp rise from 34,000 in 2023, with financial losses totaling nearly $65 million over the past two years.
The FBI observed a particularly disturbing trend in financially motivated sextortion schemes targeting young males aged 14 to 17. Over the last three years, more than 20 teenage victims died by suicide after being manipulated and extorted online.
During the course of investigations led by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit (CEOU) and all 55 FBI field offices, nearly 3,000 victims of financially motivated sextortion were identified. It became increasingly apparent that a significant number of perpetrators were operating from Nigeria, prompting the coordinated international response.
Operation Artemis has already led to several high-profile extraditions. In January, a Nigerian man was extradited to the United States and charged with causing the death of a South Carolina teenager who took his own life after being extorted. Last year, two other Nigerian nationals were extradited to face charges related to the death of a Pennsylvania youth. More extraditions are expected as investigations continue.
According to the FBI, the arrested individuals used social media platforms to pose as peers or potential romantic partners to lure victims into sharing compromising images. After gaining their trust, the perpetrators would threaten to release the images unless they received payments via gift cards, mobile payment services, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Even after receiving payments, many perpetrators continued to exploit and intimidate their victims, leading to devastating psychological consequences.
The operation was spearheaded by multiple divisions within the FBI, including the Criminal Investigative Division’s CEOU, the Crimes Against Children Human Trafficking Intelligence Unit, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché offices in Abuja and Lagos. Victim support services were provided by the FBI’s Victim Outreach Support and Strategy Programme, assisting families impacted by these crimes.
Field offices across the United States—including those in Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbia, Houston, Jackson, Milwaukee, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Richmond, San Diego, and St. Louis—also contributed significantly to the success of Operation Artemis. The Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section provided critical legal support to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
“This operation sends a powerful message to criminals that the FBI and its partners are committed to safeguarding children worldwide and holding offenders accountable, wherever they are,” Patel said.
