The federal government has ramped up its crackdown on fraudsters engaging in romance scams, following a string of arrests of Ghanaians, in an effort to protect the elderly, who are disproportionately victims of transactional scams.
In observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the United States Department of Justice made the announcement, drawing attention to the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to disrupt criminal organizations that target elderly people who are particularly vulnerable.
Below is a list of Ghanaians implicated in the high-profile prosecutions underscoring the severity of the offenses as most of the offenders are being extradited to the U.S face charges despite their pretense of being successful businessmen and women.
Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng
Dada Joe Remix, as he is popularly known, was apprehended for orchestrating romance and inheritance scams, deceiving the elderly into believing that gold and jewels were being held for them, accessible only upon payment of taxes and fees. He operated this wire scam from 2013 to 2023.
He is currently awaiting extradition to the United States to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The United States requested his detention in Ghana on May 28.
Dwayne Asafo Adjei
Asafo Adjei, David Onyinye Abuanekwu, Nancy Adom, Eric Aidoo, and Nader Wasif have been indicted in the Northern District of Ohio for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, awaiting trial.
Their charges stem from romance and business fraud which dates back to December 2017 through March 2024. They targeted elderly US citizens through romantic deceptions and fabricated business claims.
Otuo Amponsah
Otuo Amponsah and his accomplices, including Anna Amponsah, Hannah Adom, Portia Joe, Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, and Dwayne Asafo Adjei, employed identical tactics to defraud their victims via fraudulent romantic relationships and assurances of financial gain,
By using phony love engagements and financial gain, Otuo Amponsah and his accomplices—including Anna Amponsah, Hannah Adom, Portia Joe, Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, and Dwayne Asafo Adjei—swindled unsuspecting individuals out of substantial amounts of money.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) looked into all the three cases as part of the Justice Department’s initiative to combat transnational fraud targeting elderly Americans.
