Frederick Kumi, the Ghanaian national extradited to the United States last week, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted over his alleged role in a romance fraud network that prosecutors say swindled more than 80 elderly Americans out of over $8 million.
Kumi, 31, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica, appeared before a U.S. court after being extradited from Ghana on July 9. He is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Kumi and an alleged accomplice, Daniel Yussif, led a criminal network that targeted elderly victims — many of them widows and divorcees — through online dating websites and social media platforms between April 2023 and November 2025.
Prosecutors allege the network used artificial intelligence-powered video technology and fake female identities to build trust with victims before persuading them to send money through fabricated stories involving gold and diamond inheritances.
The Justice Department said members of the network allegedly laundered the proceeds through fake businesses, bank accounts, and money mules operating in Ghana and within the Ghanaian immigrant community in the United States.
Investigators estimate the scheme defrauded more than 80 victims of over $8 million.
Authorities also allege Kumi used proceeds from the fraud to acquire luxury assets, including a mansion in Ghana, a Lamborghini, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Mercedes-Benz, and a BMW, all of which have since been seized.
If convicted, Kumi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. U.S. prosecutors said the final sentence would be determined by the court after considering factors such as his role in the alleged offences and any previous criminal history.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office emphasised that the indictment contains allegations only and that Kumi is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Cleveland Division with support from Ghanaian agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission, and the National Intelligence Bureau.
The case is being prosecuted under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, which targets financial crimes against older adults.
Editor:
Obiri-Yeboah
