FBI Makes 19 Arrests, Rescues 9 Children During World Cup In Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — While Kansas City hosted FIFA World Cup games this summer, law enforcement agencies throughout the area rescued nine children and helped nine victims from human trafficking.

Seventeen operations were conducted over six weeks, resulting in 19 arrests on various state and federal charges.

"While it is an unfortunate fact that numbers like this confirm this threat is still one that exists in our community, I am proud of the work of all the partners involved to help us on this surge," said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.

Read the full press release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Kansas City Division below.

Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Kansas City, FBI Kansas City, KCPD and law enforcement agencies across the metro are announcing the results of a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional coordinated surge to combat child exploitation and human trafficking during the games.

19 people were arrested on various state and federal charges. Additionally, 9 children were located, and 9 individuals were provided with victim services. In total, more than 15 law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal level, worked on the surge, which included 17 operations to identify individuals looking to solicit for commercial sex work or looking to commit sexual acts with children.

“For the past several weeks, there has been a significant and substantial effort by law enforcement across the metro to combat trafficking alongside FIFA World Cup events. While it is an unfortunate fact that numbers like this confirm this threat is still one that exists in our community, I am proud of the work of all the partners involved to help us on this surge,” said Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s announcement underscores the collective effort law enforcement has and will continue to place on ensuring vulnerable victims are recovered and their abusers face justice.”

Human trafficking is the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex acts through force, fraud, or coercion. Any exploitation of a minor for sex is considered by the FBI as trafficking. Human trafficking occurs in every region of the United States and throughout the world. An array of actors perpetrate human trafficking, including individuals, loosely affiliated family-based networks, and highly structured criminal organizations.

“I am proud of the work being down alongside our federal, state and local partners. KCPD is thankful for operations like these where vulnerable victims are rescued and predatory offenders are arrested. Collectively, we will continue the work in making Kansas City and our region safer,” said Kansas City Missouri Police Chief Stacey Graves.

Anyone with information about human trafficking may call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888- 373-7888; text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733; or chat with the National Human Trafficking Hotline via humantraffickinghotline.org/chat. Those who wish to report incidents of human trafficking or suspected human trafficking may also call their local FBI office, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center, or their local police department. If someone is in imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury, please call 911.

The FBI takes a victim-centered approach to human trafficking investigations and ensures victims receive appropriate services and support throughout a human-trafficking investigation. FBI victim specialists, along with victim specialists from the U.S. attorney’s offices and from non-government service providers, work with victims and are available to advise victims of their rights and assure that their short-term and long-term needs are met, including immediate medical needs, housing, employment, education, job training, and childcare.

The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force contributed significant work to this operation. That task force includes agents and officers from the Kansas City Missouri Police Department, Overland Park Police Department, Independence Police Department, Olathe Police Department and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team (STAT).

In addition to the Task Force, the operations included agents, officers, intelligence analysts, and professional staff from the U.S. Marshals Service – District of Kansas, U.S. Marshals Service – Western District of Missouri, Homeland Security Investigations, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, North Kansas City Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office.

Additional support was provided by the Missouri Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit, Kansas Department for Children and Families, the World Cup Aftercare Resources and Services (WARS) Council, Cornerstones of Care, and Bridging the Gap – Oregon.