FBI extradicts 3 Ghanaians to US over $100m romance scam, email fraud ring

Four Ghanaian nationals have been indicted in the United States for allegedly running an international fraud network that stole over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes.

The suspects — Isaac Oduro Boateng, also known as “Kofi Boat,” Inusah Ahmed (“Pascal”), Derrick Van Yeboah (“Van”), and Patrick Kwame Asare (“Borgar”) were named in an indictment unsealed by the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia.

Boateng, Ahmed, and Van Yeboah were extradited from Ghana and arrived in the US on August 7, while Asare remains on the run. The three appeared before US Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger on Friday. The case is being heard by US District Judge Arun Subramanian.

According to the FBI, the group ran a sophisticated operation targeting vulnerable individuals, especially elderly victims by posing as romantic partners online to gain their trust and swindle them out of money. They also carried out business email compromise attacks, tricking companies into wiring funds to their accounts.

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Investigators allege that the proceeds were laundered back to West Africa, with Boateng and Ahmed identified as “chairmen” coordinating the ring’s activities.

The defendants face multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to receive stolen money, and receipt of stolen money. Some counts carry potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison.

Clayton praised the FBI’s work and Ghanaian authorities, including INTERPOL, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the Cyber Security Authority, for assisting in the extraditions. He warned that “offshore scammers should know” that US law enforcement will work globally to bring perpetrators to justice.

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