Ghana’s global standing is under mounting pressure as a wave of cyberfraud cases involving its citizens continue to make headlines across the United States and beyond. From elaborate romance scams to large-scale business email compromises, a growing number of Ghanaians are being indicted, extradited, and sentenced in connection with schemes that have collectively cost victims hundreds of millions of dollars.
Once celebrated for its peace, stability, and entrepreneurial promise, Ghana is now increasingly associated with internet-based crime syndicates. The damage goes beyond national pride—it’s affecting ordinary Ghanaians at home and abroad, many of whom are being unfairly viewed through the lens of suspicion and distrust.
The Kofi Oduro Boateng Case: Glamour Meets Crime
The most recent case attracting international attention involves Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng, a wealthy Ghanaian businessman and influencer. On June 13, 2025, Boateng and two associates were arrested in Accra in a coordinated operation between Ghanaian authorities, Interpol, and the FBI.
According to U.S. prosecutors, the trio operated a sophisticated scheme between 2016 and 2023 involving Business Email Compromise (BEC) and romance scams.
Business Email Compromise (BEC) is a sophisticated form of fraud in which scammers impersonate executives or suppliers to trick employees into sending money. Romance scams, on the other hand, manipulate victims emotionally through fake online relationships.
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Their methods included impersonating company executives to mislead employees into wiring large sums of money, and emotionally manipulating individuals—mainly elderly Americans—into sending funds under false pretences.
The syndicate is believed to have defrauded at least one business and eight individuals of over $100 million. The suspects remain in custody pending extradition. A fourth member of the group is still at large.
A Broader Pattern of Cybercrime
Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng’s case is only the tip of the iceberg. Over the last few years, several other Ghanaians have faced prosecution for cyberfraud schemes across various U.S. jurisdictions.
In May 2025, Ghanaian businessman Joseph Badu Boateng, known as Dada Joe Remix, was extradited to face charges in Arizona. He allegedly led a romance and inheritance scam from 2013 to 2023, tricking elderly victims into believing they were entitled to gold and jewels, which could only be claimed after paying fabricated fees.
Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia 4Reall, was sentenced in June 2024 to one year and one day in U.S. federal prison for her role in a $2 million romance scam. She reportedly received $89,000 from a victim under the guise of supporting her father's farm. She completed her sentence on May 22, 2025, and is expected to return to Ghana.
Another Ghanaian, Emmanuel Quamey, was sentenced in 2024 to four years in prison for laundering over $3.3 million from online scams targeting elderly victims.
Ghanaian Names in Global Crackdowns
Authorities in the United States have continued to uncover cybercrime rings involving Ghanaians or operating from Ghana. In June 2025, U.S. officials in Ohio indicted suspects including Dwayne Asafo Adjei, Nancy Adom, and Eric Aidoo for romance and investment scams.
READ ALSO: 2 Ghanaians sentenced to U.S. prison for romance fraud, ordered to pay $581K each
In North Carolina, Clinton Ogedegbe faces charges for laundering proceeds from fraud schemes. Similar indictments have come out of Massachusetts and Connecticut, where suspects were accused of scamming Americans through dating apps and professional platforms like LinkedIn.
U.S. prosecutors have even filed a civil forfeiture claim to seize over $679,000 worth of Tether cryptocurrency believed to have been obtained through scams with ties to Ghana.
Victims Left Devastated
Behind the staggering financial losses are the emotional and psychological tolls on victims. Many were elderly, isolated individuals who genuinely believed they had found love or viable investment opportunities.
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