A joint operation coordinated by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) has led to the arrest of multiple suspects in Nigeria, including individuals linked to a global cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme that allegedly defrauded investors in 17 countries of over $562 million.
The two-month operation, codenamed Operation Catalyst, was conducted between July and September 2025, targeting financial crimes connected to terrorism financing and money laundering across Africa.
According to a statement released by INTERPOL, the crackdown resulted in 83 arrests across six African nations, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Angola. Investigators identified more than 160 persons of interest and traced illicit funds valued at around $260 million in both fiat and digital currencies.
In Nigeria, 11 suspected terrorists — among them alleged senior members of extremist groups — were apprehended during the coordinated sweep. Authorities also uncovered links between Nigerian suspects and a transnational crypto Ponzi scheme posing as a legitimate trading platform but allegedly funneling proceeds into terrorism financing.
The fraudulent network is believed to have impacted over 100,000 victims across at least 17 countries, including Cameroon and Kenya. “Several high-value crypto wallets tied to the operation are now under forensic investigation, with authorities tracing transactions suspected to have been channelled into terrorism-related activities,” INTERPOL said.
The agency also disclosed that a Red Notice has been issued for one of the scheme’s alleged masterminds, accused of defrauding investors of approximately $5 million through a web of crypto wallets and exchanges designed to conceal money trails.
So far, about $600,000 has been seized, while efforts are ongoing to recover additional assets linked to terrorism financing and financial fraud schemes.
INTERPOL’s Secretary General, Valdecy Urquiza, hailed the operation as a major milestone in cross-border policing cooperation.
“Operation Catalyst marks the first time financial crime, cybercrime, and counter-terrorism units from multiple African countries have joined forces to disrupt the financing of terrorism,” Urquiza said.
“By sharing intelligence and resources, we can more effectively cut off financial flows that support terrorist networks.”
AFRIPOL’s Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, also emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration, noting that the operation demonstrated Africa’s growing capability to tackle sophisticated transnational financial crimes.
“When African security agencies unite, they can deliver a decisive and coordinated response to complex and evolving threats,” Chelba stated.
The international effort received technical and cyber-intelligence support from private-sector partners, including Binance, Moody’s, and Uppsala Security, reinforcing the growing role of public-private cooperation in combating financial crimes in the digital era.
