Four Ghanaians Charged in $100 Million Romance and Email Scam
The United States has charged four Ghanaians with orchestrating a massive $100 million romance and email scam. The accused individuals are Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng, also known as Kofi Boat, Inusah Ahmed, alias Pascal, Derrick Van Yeboah, commonly referred to as Van, and Patrick Kwame Asare, nicknamed Borgar.
According to the indictment, the suspects allegedly ran a sophisticated syndicate that used Business Email Compromise (BEC) and romance scams to trick victims into transferring hundreds of thousands of dollars into accounts controlled by the group. They impersonated company officials via spoofed email accounts and attached fake authorization letters bearing forged signatures to lend credibility to the scams.
Three of the suspects, Boateng, Ahmed, and Van Yeboah, were extradited from Ghana to the US on August 7, 2025. They face multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to receive stolen money, and receipt of stolen money. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The extradition follows a joint operation by Interpol and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which led to the suspects' arrest on June 13, 2025. The US Department of State issued an extradition request via the US Embassy in Accra, based on a May 2023 indictment by the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The FBI's investigation revealed that the suspects targeted vulnerable individuals, including older men and women, through romance scams and business email compromises. The suspects allegedly used fake identities to gain the trust of their victims and deceive them into sending money.
US Attorney Jay Clayton stated, "As alleged, Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare led and participated in an international fraud ring that engaged in a massive conspiracy to defraud vulnerable people and steal from businesses."
Patrick Kwame Asare remains at large, and US authorities are urging the public to assist with information that could lead to his arrest. The case is being prosecuted by the Office's Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.
Source – Lead News Online
