A Ghanaian social media influencer known for posting cash, cars, and houses online has been arrested in Accra for allegedly running a romance-fraud network that targeted elderly Americans and cost them more than $8 million.
The suspect, 31-year-old Frederick Kumi, widely known as Abu Trica and also identified as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, was arrested in a joint operation between Ghanaian authorities and US federal agents.
According to the BBC, American prosecutors have charged him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracy. Each charge carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years if convicted.
US investigators said Kumi used advanced AI tools to create false identities, complete with photographs and personal histories. These identities were then used to communicate with older Americans on social media and dating platforms.
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Once contact was made, prosecutors said the victims were drawn into regular conversations and later persuaded to send money for supposed emergencies, including medical bills and travel expenses.
The money was allegedly moved through a network of accomplices in both countries, with Kumi said to have played a central role in sharing the proceeds. Authorities began looking into him after he started displaying luxury possessions to more than 100,000 Instagram followers, raising questions about how they were acquired.
Prosecutors said the “perpetrators built trust through frequent, intimate conversations by phone, email, and messaging platforms” with victims. “They then requested money or valuables under false pretences, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses, or investment opportunities,” they added.
The funds and valuables were reportedly sent to co-conspirators who acted as third-party receivers. Kumi allegedly distributed the returns among partners in the US and Ghana. The case falls under the U.S. Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, which strengthens penalties for crimes targeting older citizens.
US agencies have recently increased actions against similar groups operating in the US and West Africa. In July, another Ghanaian, popularly known as Dada Joe Remix, was extradited to the US to face allegations involving romance and inheritance scams.
Earlier this month, a US court sentenced Oluwaseun Adekoya, a Nigerian national linked to a nationwide bank-fraud and money-laundering ring, to 20 years in prison for laundering more than $2 million.