Ghanaian Nationals Extradited to US Over $100M, BEC, Romance Scams

Three Ghanaian men have been extradited to the US over $100 million fraud involving romance scams and business email compromise targeting individuals and companies.

The FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) have announced the extradition of three Ghanaian nationals accused of being part of a large-scale criminal operation. The individuals, namely Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick Van Yeboah, arrived in the US on August 7, 2025, and are facing charges for their roles in a scheme that stole more than $100 million from dozens of victims. A fourth suspect, Patrick Kwame Asare, has not yet been apprehended.

The indictment (PDF) alleges that these men were high-ranking members of a criminal organisation based in Ghana that ran two primary types of fraud: romance scams and business email compromises.

In romance scams, the criminals created fake online identities to trick vulnerable people, often older men and women, into believing they were in a loving relationship. Once they gained the victims’ trust, they would convince them to send money or help launder funds from other victims.

The group also used business email compromises (BEC). This type of fraud involves tricking companies into wiring money to fraudulent accounts. The scammers would likely pretend to be a trusted business partner or a company executive to convince employees to make the payments. The stolen money was then laundered and sent to West Africa.

US Attorney Jay Clayton stated, the accused allegedly “led and participated in an international fraud ring that engaged in a massive conspiracy to defraud vulnerable people and steal from businesses.”

The extradition of the three suspects is a remarkable effort involving international cooperation. According to the DoJ, Ghana’s government and its law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office and the Ghana Police Service, provided significant assistance.

The FBI’s Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia highlighted the severity of the crimes, stating, “Deceiving businesses using email compromise campaigns and tricking innocent elderly victims through fraudulent companionship in order to exploit their trust and finances is not merely appalling but illegal.”

The four men are now facing multiple charges, including wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and receiving stolen money. The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

This is the second extradition of scammers involved in large-scale schemes targeting Americans. On August 5, the FBI announced the arrest of a Nigerian national and his extradition to the United States to face charges of hacking, identity theft, and fraud. He and his co-conspirators are accused of using spearphishing to steal customer data, as well as filing fraudulent tax returns and disaster relief claims worth millions of dollars.