Interpol nets 5,811 arrests, $293M; gambling links found

Interpol’s Operation First Light resulted in 5,811 arrests and the seizure of $293 million in illicit assets across 97 countries. The campaign ran from January 15 to April 30 and targeted social engineering fraud and the money laundering channels that move its proceeds.

Investigators focused on schemes that rely on human contact to steal money or sensitive data, including email compromise, romance scams, sextortion, impersonation and investment fraud. The operation tracked how funds from those schemes were laundered through bank accounts and other financial channels.

Teams assessed 152,808 cases and identified more than 142,000 victims worldwide. Authorities closed 23,715 cases, blocked 31,014 bank accounts and flagged 15,606 additional suspects. Investigators issued 99 Interpol Notices and Diffusions to coordinate follow-up actions across borders.

Two publicized case studies involved illegal gambling networks. In Eswatini, police arrested 82 people and dismantled an online gambling operation that was linked to money laundering and impersonation scams. Officers discovered a replica Brazilian police station with fake uniforms and equipment; suspects used video calls while posing as Brazil’s federal police to persuade targets to transfer funds into so-called “safekeeping” accounts. In Palau, authorities arrested 22 people across two scam centres that hosted illegal gambling websites.

Tomonobu Kaya, director of Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, warned that criminal syndicates “exploit human psychology to manipulate their targets,” and said social engineering can affect any country.

Interpol has coordinated the First Light operation since 2014. The campaign receives funding from China’s Ministry of Public Security and operational support from regional bodies including ASEANAPOL, GCCPOL and Europol. After 2024 the operation expanded: the number of participating jurisdictions rose by more than half and total arrests increased by 47% compared with earlier iterations.

The campaign highlighted how social engineering has affected legitimate gambling firms. In September 2023, attackers identified employees on LinkedIn, impersonated IT help-desk staff and induced credential resets that allowed ransomware and other intrusions. Caesars paid about $15 million to restore systems; MGM Resorts declined to pay and reported severe disruption with estimated losses above $100 million and a later $45 million settlement with customers. In the same month an online crypto casino lost roughly $41 million in a separate attack.

Authorities said tracing and recovering funds is difficult when proceeds are routed through multiple accounts and jurisdictions. Operation coordinators said the campaign disrupted networks, seized assets and produced evidence for prosecutions, and urged continued international cooperation and information sharing to identify suspects, close illicit accounts and dismantle laundering routes used by fraudsters and illegal gambling operators.