Fraudsters from Ghana Extradited for $100 Million Online Romance and BEC Scams

Four Ghanaian nationals have been extradited to the United States for their alleged involvement in an international fraud that resulted in the theft of more than $100 million from American citizens and businesses.

The suspects are accused of using mainly romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) attacks to steal the money, via a criminal enterprise based in Ghana. The attackers have been going after vulnerable people and corporations across the United States for nearly 10 years.

The indicted individuals

The US Department of Justice unsealed the indictment against:

• Isaac Oduro Boateng, a/k/a "Kofi Boat"
• Inusah Ahmed, a/k/a "Pascal"
• Derrick Van Yeboah, a/k/a "Van"
• Patrick Kwame Asare, a/k/a "Borgar"

All four suspects are believed to be high-ranking members of an organization named "the Enterprise," primarily operating out of Ghana. Boateng and Ahmed were considered "chairmen" of the group.

The romance scam tactics

Romance scams usually target emotionally vulnerable individuals, often older men and women living alone. The suspects, using fake identities on social media, allegedly posed as romantic partners to manipulate victims into transferring money.

Once the attacker gained their trust, the victims were conned into sending funds to accounts they believed belonged to their romantic interests.

As if this weren't enough, in some situations, the victims were also persuaded to act as money mules, unknowingly receiving and forwarding stolen funds.

The scammers also introduced fake consultants or lawyers to make the schemes sound believable. Internally, the Enterprise referred to victims as "clients" and the stolen money as "clean money."

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

In addition to romance fraud, the group is accused of sophisticated BEC attacks. They allegedly created fake email addresses that closely resembled those of real people or vendors. These emails were then sent to companies with instructions to wire money to bank accounts controlled by “the Enterprise.” Members often called these BEC attacks "Ali Baba" frauds.

The Criminal Network

The fraudulent activity spanned from at least 2016 through May 2023, according to court documents. After the attackers got the money, they were funneled through US and international bank accounts before being laundered to West Africa.

"Offshore scammers should know that we, the FBI, and our law enforcement partners will work around the world to combat online fraud and bring perpetrators to justice," said US Attorney Jay Clayton.

Charges filed

The four defendants face a range of serious federal charges, including conspiring to commit wire fraud, which alone could carry up to 20 years in prison.

They're also charged with actual wire fraud, as well as conspiring to launder the money. Each of these charges also carries a potential 20-year sentence. If found guilty on all counts, the individuals could face decades in federal prison.