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| Abu Trica and others |
Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA), working with key national security agencies, has arrested a suspected kingpin and two accomplices in what authorities describe as one of the most significant romance scam cases linked to Ghana in recent years.
The joint operation, carried out on December 11, 2025, was led by the Acting Director-General of the CSA, Mr. Divine Selase Agbeti, in collaboration with the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
Those arrested include Frederick Kumi, 31, who is also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and widely referred to as “Abu Trica,” along with two other suspects. The trio is accused of playing key roles in a sophisticated romance scam network that allegedly defrauded victims—mostly elderly individuals in the United States—of approximately US$8 million.
According to investigators, Abu Trica was part of an organised criminal network that had been operating since 2023, targeting vulnerable victims through social media platforms and online dating websites. An unsealed indictment by a United States federal grand jury has returned a two-count charge against the Ghanaian national, formally accusing him of defrauding elderly victims.
The indictment paints a troubling picture of how technology was weaponised to exploit trust. Prosecutors allege that members of the network used Artificial Intelligence software to create fake identities, convincingly impersonating real people online. Through prolonged communication, emotional manipulation, and false promises, the suspects reportedly formed close personal relationships with victims before persuading them to send money and valuables under false pretences.
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Authorities further allege that once funds were transferred from the United States, Kumi worked closely with co-conspirators to move and distribute the money through a network of associates in Ghana and other locations, effectively laundering the proceeds of the crime.
Frederick Kumi has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification. If convicted, he faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison under U.S. law.
The CSA has described the operation as a strong signal of Ghana’s commitment to combating cybercrime and protecting the country’s international reputation. Security officials say investigations are ongoing and additional arrests are possible as authorities continue to dismantle the wider network behind the scam.
Beyond the arrests, the case serves as a sobering reminder of how digital platforms can be abused and how elderly and emotionally vulnerable individuals remain prime targets for cybercriminals. Ghanaian authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant online and reaffirming their resolve to work with international partners to ensure that cybercrime does not go unpunished.
