Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Popular Ghanaian social media influencer Abu Trica, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, has been arrested on suspicion of masterminding a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans out of more than $8 million (£5.9 million).
Prosecutors said he used artificial intelligence tools to create false online identities, target victims through social media and dating sites, gain their trust and then extort money from them.
Kumi faces charges in the United States of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
The 31-year-old was arrested in Ghana following a joint operation between the two countries and the United States will now seek his extradition.
He has yet to comment on the allegations.
Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, flaunts luxury items online to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers.
This raised doubts about its source of income.
Prosecutors said offenders built trust with their victims through “frequent, intimate conversations via phone, email and messaging platforms.”
“They then request money or valuables under false pretenses, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses or investment opportunities.”
The money or valuables were then passed on to co-conspirators posing as third parties. Kumi allegedly distributed the money to his associates in the United States and Ghana.
The case is being prosecuted under the U.S. Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act.
In recent months, U.S. authorities have stepped up efforts to crack down on criminal networks operating in the United States and West Africa seeking to defraud older Americans.
In July, an accused Ghanaian fraudster, popularly known as Dada Joe Remix, was extradited to the United States for defrauding Americans with romance and inheritance schemes.
Earlier this month, a U.S. court also sentenced Oluwaseun Adekoya, the leader of a nationwide bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy in Nigeria, to 20 years in prison for laundering more than $2 million.
Additional reporting by Natasha Buti
