The United States government has published an official list of Ghanaian nationals who have been indicted in a massive federal probe of romance scams and wire fraud schemes that preyed on vulnerable elderly Americans.
The revelation, spearheaded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has rocked both sides of the Atlantic as it unveiled the identities of people who are accused of playing central roles in defrauding American citizens of millions of dollars in almost a decade.
U.S. federal prosecutors said the schemes included complex online romance schemes, bogus inheritances, and bogus business deals, all aimed at duping victims into sending large amounts of money. Most of the victims were elderly people, widowed, divorced, or lonely, which made them emotionally and financially vulnerable.
The probe, which cuts across several states in the United States, is an extension of a wider transnational crackdown on cyber fraud rings that have been operating between the United States and West Africa.
Ghanaians Charged in Northern District of Ohio
A federal grand jury in Ohio, one of the jurisdictions involved in the coordinated effort, indicted the following individuals:
Otuo Amponsah
Anna Amponsah
Hannah Adom
Portia Joe
Abdoul Issaka Assimiou
Dwayne Asafo Adjei
According to authorities, these people were involved in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and other crimes between 2017 and 2024.
According to investigators, they used false online identities, posed as falling in love with their victims, and invented emergencies, including medical bills, legal problems, or travel problems, to get money.
One FBI official told reporters that these scams were not crimes of passion, but well-planned financial operations.
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According to prosecutors, the accused transferred money between various bank accounts and occasionally laundered the money through legitimate businesses. The American victims have been reported to have lost their life savings in what has been termed as devastating losses.
Others Indicted in Other Jurisdictions in the U.S.
Two other Ghanaian nationals have been indicted in North Carolina and Arizona outside Ohio.
Clinton Ogedegbe – Ogedegbe was indicted in North Carolina and is alleged to have assisted in laundering money that was acquired in romance scams. He is said to have laundered stolen money through a series of shell accounts, both in the U.S. and overseas.
Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, aka Dada Joe Remix- Indicted in Arizona, he is charged with wire fraud and conspiracy. It is assumed that Boateng was the mastermind of a decade-long plan, dating back to 2013, that included romance and inheritance scams.
On May 28, 2025, Boateng was arrested in Ghana and is awaiting extradition to the United States. Investigators said Dada Joe would present false documents and tell victims, usually elderly women, that they had inherited a lot of money that they had not claimed.
The Romance Scam in Action
The FBI said that the majority of the schemes had a common pattern:
The fraudster would then set up a false online profile, typically on dating sites or social media, and pose as a successful professional, a military officer, an engineer, or a doctor.
After establishing trust, the scammer would present a crisis or opportunity, and request money out of emotional pressure.
Victims were frequently tricked into wiring thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars through a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
The money was easily laundered in various accounts and in most instances transferred to foreign countries before the victims knew they had been duped.
Most of the perpetrators are said to have operated in organized cells, where each had a specific role to play, some as online lovers and others as the financial side.
Victims Speak Out
The U.S. authorities have provided testimonies of victims, most of whom were retired seniors, who lost everything.
One victim in Arizona said to investigators, I thought I had found love again. He told me he was in trouble and I simply wanted to assist. I never thought I was being used.”
A 74-year-old woman lost more than 380,000 dollars by sending money during two years to a person she thought was a U.S. Army officer serving in Afghanistan.
The Future and the Role of Ghana
The investigation by the FBI was conducted in cooperation with the Ghanaian police, and international coordination was provided by Interpol and the U.S. Department of Justice. The operation is a success that indicates the increasing collaboration between African countries and U.S. agencies in addressing cross-border cybercrime.
According to legal experts, there could be more arrests and other suspects are under investigation in Ghana and other West African nations.
The story has become viral on social media in Ghana, with Ghanaians expressing shock, disappointment, and frustration. Others have accused the accused of bringing the country into disrepute in the international community, and others have said that the case shows that more education and economic opportunities are needed by the youth.
What Happens to the Accused?
In case of conviction, the indicted persons will receive severe jail terms, between 10 and 30 years, depending on the charges and the sums stolen.
With some of the suspects, including Dada Joe Remix, facing extradition, U.S. prosecutors are likely to produce evidence in court later this year.
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In the meantime, the Ghanaian authorities have called on the citizens to be wary and not to become instruments of international fraud syndicates. They also urge the citizens to report suspicious online activity.
Conclusion
This indictment list is a turning point in the war against international cyber fraud. To the victims, it is a way of justice. The accused will now have their fate decided by the legal process.
With the world getting smaller, the tale of these so-called big boys and girls is a sobering one: online activity has real-life consequences and no one is above the law, no matter where they reside.
