The defendants face multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years, along with other charges related to money laundering.

In addition to romance scams, the defendants executed business email compromise schemes, utilizing spoofed email accounts to trick companies into wiring funds under false pretenses.

These individuals were high-ranking members of an international fraud ring based in Ghana, which targeted U.S. companies and individuals from 2016 until May 2023.

Known locally as 'sakawa boys' or 'game boys,' the fraudsters primarily targeted older individuals, convincing them they were in genuine romantic relationships.

The fraudulent operations included romance scams, where fake online identities were created to deceive vulnerable individuals into sending money under the pretense of romantic relationships.

The FBI and the Department of Justice announced the extradition, emphasizing the suspects' involvement in both romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) schemes.

Middlemen in the U.S. laundered the stolen funds, taking a cut for themselves before sending the remainder to the fraud ring's leaders in West Africa, referred to as 'chairmen.'

On August 7, 2025, four Ghanaian nationals, including Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare, were extradited to the United States to face charges related to a fraud scheme that exceeded $100 million.

This extradition follows another recent action against scammers targeting Americans, specifically the extradition of a Nigerian national for similar crimes.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated that the accused led an international fraud ring that exploited vulnerable individuals and businesses.

These BEC schemes involved impersonating trusted partners to convince employees to transfer money to fraudulent accounts.

The extradition process was supported by the Ghanaian government, including its Economic and Organised Crime Office and the Ghana Police Service, who cooperated with U.S. authorities.