The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have announced the unsealing of an indictment against four Ghanaian nationals accused of participating in a global fraud network that defrauded victims of over $100 million.
The defendants — Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare — allegedly engaged in extensive romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) attacks targeting individuals and companies across the United States.
US authorities, with the help of Ghanaian authorities, extradited Boateng, Ahmed, and Van Yeboah to the United States on August 7, 2025. However, Asare remains at large and is yet to be arrested and extradited.
According to prosecutors, the defendants were high-ranking members of a Ghana-based criminal organization.
They allegedly targeted vulnerable elderly victims by creating fake online romantic relationships to gain their trust and persuade them to transfer money. In parallel, they carried out BEC schemes to deceive companies into wiring funds to accounts controlled by the group.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated that the defendants “led and participated in an international fraud ring that engaged in a massive conspiracy to defraud vulnerable people and steal from businesses.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia added that the schemes “tricked innocent elderly victims through fraudulent companionship” and exploited businesses through “email compromise campaigns.”
Once the funds were obtained, the proceeds were allegedly laundered to West Africa and distributed to individuals known as “chairmen,” who directed the organization’s operations. Prosecutors identified Boateng and Ahmed as chairmen.
The indictment charges each defendant with:
- One count of wire fraud conspiracy (maximum 20 years imprisonment)
- One count of wire fraud (maximum 20 years)
- One count of money laundering conspiracy (maximum 20 years)
- One count of conspiracy to receive stolen money (maximum 5 years)
- One count of receipt of stolen money (maximum 10 years)
However, prosecutors emphasized that the charges are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation involved coordination between the FBI, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and several Ghanaian agencies, including the Economic and Organized Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL, the Cyber Security Authority, and the National Intelligence Bureau.
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