The U.S. Department of Justice has charged four Ghanaian nationals for their alleged roles in a massive international fraud ring linked to more than $100 million in losses from romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
The defendants — Isaac Oduro Boateng (“Kofi Boat”), Inusah Ahmed (“Pascal”), Derrick Van Yeboah (“Van”), and Patrick Kwame Asare (“Borgar”) — were extradited from Ghana and arrived in the United States on August 7. They are accused of being high-ranking members of a West Africa–based network that targeted individuals and companies across the U.S. between 2016 and May 2023.
According to prosecutors, the fraudsters, known locally as “sakawa boys” or “game boys,” often targeted vulnerable older Americans living alone. After gaining their trust through fake online relationships, they allegedly convinced victims to transfer funds to U.S.-based middlemen, who laundered the money and sent it back to West Africa.
The group also conducted sophisticated BEC attacks, creating fake email accounts to impersonate company executives or partners. These spoofed accounts were used to send fraudulent payment instructions, along with forged authorization letters, to divert company funds to accounts under the scammers’ control.
Boateng and Ahmed allegedly acted as “chairmen” — coordinating the fraud operations — while Asare and Van Yeboah played key roles, with Van Yeboah primarily focused on romance scams.
The four face multiple charges, including:
- Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud – up to 20 years each
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering – up to 20 years
- Conspiracy to receive stolen money – up to 5 years
- Receipt of stolen money – up to 10 years
“These defendants have been brought to the United States to be held accountable for their alleged roles in scamming companies and vulnerable Americans out of over $100 million,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.
