U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and FBI New York Field Office head Christopher G. Raia announced the unsealing of an indictment charging four Ghanaian nationals, Isaac Oduro Boateng (“Kofi Boat”), Inusah Ahmed (“Pascal”), Derrick Van Yeboah (“Van”), and Patrick Kwame Asare (“Borgar”), for orchestrating an international criminal enterprise that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes.
Three of the accused, Boateng, Ahmed, and Van Yeboah, were extradited from Ghana and arrived in the U.S. on August 7, 2025. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger, while Asare remains at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.
U.S. Attorney Clayton described the defendants as leaders and active participants in a global fraud ring that preyed on vulnerable individuals and businesses. “Offshore scammers should be aware that we, along with the FBI and law enforcement partners, will pursue them worldwide to ensure justice,” he emphasized.
FBI Assistant Director Raia condemned the deceitful tactics used by the defendants, which involved tricking elderly victims into fake romantic relationships and exploiting businesses through email fraud. “The FBI remains committed to holding accountable anyone who exploits companies and vulnerable Americans,” he said.
The defendants were senior members of a Ghana-based criminal organization that orchestrated romance scams targeting mostly elderly U.S. victims and committed business email compromises against various companies. They manipulated victims into transferring money or laundering stolen funds for the group.
The stolen proceeds were laundered primarily to West Africa, where funds were distributed under the direction of so-called “chairmen.” Boateng and Ahmed held leadership roles within the syndicate.
The accused, aged between 36 and 40 and from Ghana, face multiple charges including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to receive stolen money, and receipt of stolen money. The maximum penalties range up to 20 years in prison per count, depending on the offense.
Clayton praised the FBI’s investigative work and expressed gratitude to Ghanaian authorities and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their crucial support in securing the extraditions. Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Police Service, INTERPOL, Cyber Security Authority, and National Intelligence Bureau also played key roles.
The case is being prosecuted by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner leading the prosecution.
It’s important to note that the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
