The FBI has completed Operation Riptide, a 60-day campaign that disrupted global cybercrime networks defrauding Americans, resulting in numerous arrests and the seizure of illegal cryptocurrency and other assets. Launched in June, the operation targeted online fraud and criminal digital infrastructure that cost Americans more than $20 billion last year, with FBI Director Kash Patel crediting artificial intelligence tools, improved intelligence-sharing and international cooperation for its success.

Notable actions included the arrest of a member of the pro-Russia hacktivist group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn, the seizure of cloud accounts linked to Cambodia's Huione Group over alleged money laundering, and a takedown of the Chinese phishing platform Outsider, carried out with Google and Black Lotus Labs. Other cases reaching legal milestones included convictions in an international cargo theft conspiracy, indictments of five Ghanaian nationals over romance fraud, prison sentences for an ATM "jackpotting" scheme using Ploutus malware, and the conviction of Barry Augustinsky for a VoIP-based fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans. A retired FBI cyber specialist warned that AI is making scam emails harder to detect, as traditional warning signs like poor grammar no longer apply.