US court jail Ghanaian businessman Derrick Yeboah for 7 years ova $10m romance scam
Wia dis foto come from, DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE/FACEBOOK
One Ghanaian national Derrick Van Yeboah wey dey part of romance fraud gang don chop seven years (85 months) imprisonment for di US.
Dis dey come months afta e plead guilty to charges on 5 March 2026, afta dem extradite am to di US for 2025.
Derrick Van Yeboah tok say im dey guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud bifor di US District Judge Arun Subramanian, wey bin jail am.
According to di US Attorney for Southern District of New York, Derrick Van Yeboah aka 'Van' dey part of "one international criminal network wey bin steal more than $100m from victims from romance scams and business email compromise."
US authorities inside court documents confam say Derrick Yeboah dey part of di network wey base for Ghana wey commit plenty scam against pipo and businesses for di US.
"Many of di victims be vulnerable old men and women, wey dem tri k to believe say dem dey inside romantic relationship wit dem. Dem use fake IDs, wey dem deceive dia victims to send money."
US Attorney office explain say "dem also trick businesses to send dem money; in total, dem bin tiff and launder more than $100m from dozens of victims, afta dem tiff di money, dem carry am to West Africa."
Dem find Derrick Van Yeboah guilty say im personally do many of di scam by using fake IDs to enta relationship wit di victims – like for 2019 and 2020, im use dis IDs to scam one Ohio woman and anoda one for Delaware wey im force dem to transfer $4.2m to account wey belong to di scam network.
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
Wia dis foto come from, DIPLOMATIC SECURITY SERVICE/FACEBOOK
"Van also for 2024, engage for romantic relationship wit one man from North Carolina wey im induce am to send $123k to im account afta im lie to di man say im dey need money to organise funeral of im parents and also to recover gold and diamond from Italy," US Attorney office add.
In addition to di 85-month (7-year) jail term, di 41-year-old chop anoda two-year supervised release wey di court order am to lose im property, money and oda assets wey amount to $10m.
Di United States Attorney for di Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, praise di FBI, Interpol, di oda international bodies, Ghana Attorney General office, Economic and Organised Crime office (Eoco), di Cyber Security Authority of di kontri and oda agencies for di extradition of di 41-year-old.
Oga Jay Clayton tok say "romance scammers no only dey tiff money, dem bin dey weaponise trust."
"Van Yeboah and im conspirators bin exploit di trust, loneliness and legit business relationship of pipo to tiff more than $100m. Dis sentence dey reflect di seriousness of our commitment to fight fraud wey dey target Americans," di United States Attorney for di Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton add.
At least six odas still dey face romance fraud charges for di US
For 19 June 2025, FBI and oda US authorities pursue at least eight Ghanaians wey dey involved for ogbonge romance fraud gang wey scam many US citizens.
Dis eight pipo include – Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng aka 'Kofi Boat', Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah (wey now chop 7 years imprisonment) and Patrick Asare wey police bin gbab for Accra on 13 June 2025.
On 4 June 2025, di US attorney office bin charge odas - Dwayne Asafo Adjei, Nancy Adom and Eric Aidoo wit alleged fraud and money laundering conspiracies.
According to court documents for di Northern Ohio District, from December 2017 to March 2024, dis pipo bin use different wire fraud and Romance fraud scams to target old Americans.
Dem use dis scams take collect plenty money from dia victims by "false pretences wia dem share di money wit oda pipo for Ghana and elsewhere."
Na so did FBI investigate dis mata wia dem dey prosecute dem.
Di same Dwayne Asafo Adjei and Hannah Adom dey involve for anoda case of fraud.
Na so for May 13, di US attorney office charge di two or dem togeda wit Otuo Amponsah, Anna Amponsah and Portia Joe for di role dem bin play for di fraud and money laundering case.
Court go sentence anoda member of di gang 'Dada Joe Remix' for September
Wia dis foto come from, DADA JOE REMIX/INSTAGRAM
On 30 June 2026, one of di gang members – Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng aka 'Dada Joe REMIX' bin plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Police arrest 'Dada Joe Remix' on 27 May 2025 wey dem extradite am to di US, im dey for custody since di arrest.
US authorities say 'Dada Joe Remix' admit say im dey involved for di fraud scheme wey target elderly Americans from 2013 to 2023.
Authorities say 'Dada Joe Remix' lie im victims say im get family inheritance of gold and oda jewels, wey im demand money to pay taxes to release di items to di victims.
Afta im plead guilty, 'Dada Joe Remix' also gree to pay back $4.4m.
Di US District Judge Angela Martinez go sentence di Ghanaian for 8 September 2026.
For 9 July 2026, Ghana authorities extradite popular socialite Frederick Kumi aka Abu Trica to di US to face romance scam and fraud charges.
According to di US attorney office, Abu Trica also be part of one criminal network wey target elderly victims through romance scams and defraud dia victims of up to $8m since 2023.
Ghana police bin arrest di 31-year-old for 11 December, 2025, months afta tori spread say im dey ontop FBI and Interpol radar.
