Influencer extradited to US over $8m scam targeting elderly Americans

Ghanaian social media influencer Abu Trica, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, has been extradited to the United States to stand trial over allegations that he masterminded a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8 million (£5.9 million).

Kumi has denied all the charges against him.

According to US prosecutors, he allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to create fake online identities, targeting victims through social media and online dating platforms before gaining their trust and persuading them to part with money.

The influencer was flown to the United States on Thursday and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, said he had gone to court on Thursday in an attempt to halt the extradition, only to discover that Kumi had already been placed on a Delta Airlines flight to the United States.

Barker-Vormawor accused the Ghanaian government of bypassing due process by allegedly proceeding before the court could rule on the matter. He argued the extradition sidestepped “judicial oversight” and said the decision “raises profound constitutional questions”.

The Ghanaian government has not publicly commented on the extradition.

Kumi, who built a following of more than 100,000 on Instagram, frequently displayed luxury cars and expensive items on social media, prompting questions about the source of his wealth.

US investigators allege victims were approached through social media and dating websites, where they were drawn into prolonged personal conversations before being asked to send money or valuables under false claims, including emergency medical bills, travel costs and investment opportunities.

Authorities say the funds and valuables were then transferred to co-conspirators posing as third parties, with Kumi allegedly distributing the proceeds among associates in both Ghana and the United States.

The influencer, who hails from Swedru in southern Ghana, was arrested last year during a joint operation involving Ghanaian and US authorities.

There is also a dispute over his age. His lawyer maintains Kumi is 28 years old, while US prosecutors identify him as 31.

The prosecution is being pursued under the US Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, as American authorities intensify efforts to dismantle fraud networks operating across the US and West Africa that prey on elderly victims.

The extradition comes amid a broader crackdown on transnational fraud schemes. Last week, Ghanaian fraud suspect Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, widely known as Dada Joe Remix, pleaded guilty in the United States to operating romance and inheritance scams that targeted Americans.

In December, Nigerian fraud ringleader Oluwaseun Adekoya was sentenced by a US court to 20 years in prison after being convicted of laundering more than $2 million through a nationwide bank fraud and money-laundering operation.

Vanguard News

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