INTERPOL Operation Jackal IV Arrests 58, Identifies 263 in Global Cyber Fraud Crackdown

INTERPOL’s Operation Jackal IV, an eight-month international law enforcement effort targeting West African organized crime groups, has resulted in the arrest of 58 individuals and the identification of 263 suspects. The operation, which ran from November 2025 to June 2026, brought together 22 countries across six continents to combat cyber-enabled financial fraud, including romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment fraud, and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.

According to INTERPOL, these criminal networks, such as Black Axe, are responsible for a significant portion of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud. The investigation identified 196 individuals linked to a major crime-as-a-service (CaaS) network that provided website domains and money laundering support to West African organized crime groups, leading to 17 arrests.

Authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg, South Africa, for allegedly running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries. The syndicate operated like a legitimate organization, with members assigned roles such as “conversion” or “retention” agents. In Romania, a sophisticated investment scam call center was dismantled, promising high returns in stocks and cryptocurrency. The scheme diverted funds to fraudster-controlled wallets, resulting in an estimated €143 million stolen and laundered globally. Police arrested 11 individuals and seized approximately €330,000 ($379,000) in cash and cryptocurrency, six real estate properties, and several luxury watches.

Additionally, one person was identified in connection with a pan-European money laundering network that used shell companies, remittance services, and cash withdrawals to obscure fund origins. A single account laundered €845,000 (about $736,000) across 560 transactions using 20 different financial instruments.

Operation Jackal IV is the fourth iteration of the series, following previous waves that resulted in hundreds of arrests and significant asset seizures. Tomonobu Kaya, director of the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, emphasized the power of international cooperation in disrupting illicit financial flows and attacking the lifeblood of organized crime.