Court Decision
The Gbese High Court in Accra has officially approved the extradition of Ghanaian social media personality Abu Trica (Frederick Kumi) to the United States to face charges related to an alleged $8 million online romance scam.
Key Details
The Charges
Abu Trica faces charges in the United States for:
- He is facing allegations associated with a U.S. indictment including charges of romantic fraud and money laundering, which officials assert constituted a broader scheme yielding over $8 million in unlawful profits.
How the Scam Worked
- According to U.S. prosecutors, Abu Trica
Employed artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create fictitious online personas. - Lured elderly American victims through social media platforms and dating websites
Gained their confidence and exploited them financially.
Extradition Timeline
2025: Arrested in Ghana following a joint operation between Ghanaian authorities and the US
- EOCO Confirmed: EOCO confirmed the extradition on December 11, 2025
- March 24, 2026: Court dismissed Abu Trica’s preliminary objection to the extradition
- March 26, 2026: Court approved extradition with 15 days to file habeas corpus appeal
- March 27, 2026: Authorities finalized decision requiring him to provide evidence or face transfer
- If no appeal: He will be extradited to the US within 15 days to face charges
Legal Process
The extradition proceeded under:
- 1960 Extradition Act (Act 22) of Ghana
- U.S.-Ghana extradition treaty
- Cyber Security Act (cyber crime provisions)
Current Status
As of the court’s ruling on March 26, 2026, Abu Trica:
- Has not publicly addressed the allegations against him
- Requires surrender to the US if no further objections are filed in higher courts
- Will be handed over to the FBI to face the charges
The court emphasized that “everything is in place for Abu Trica to go to the United States of America” as far as the Basic Magistrate Court is concerned.
Many Ghanaian youth have raised devastating concerns of Abu granting an interview with Onua TV as the worst mistake made and many are of the view that the TV host Captain Smart is to be blamed and as it stands could be an FBI alibi. Do you think so too?
