Federal prosecutors have unsealed charges in a wide-ranging U.S. romance-fraud investigation, revealing that a Ghanaian national is accused of helping siphon more than $8 million from elderly victims. A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment outlining the alleged scheme, which investigators say relied heavily on artificial intelligence tools to impersonate potential romantic partners.
The indictment identifies the defendant as Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica, a 31-year-old resident of Swedru, Ghana. Prosecutors allege that Kumi worked inside a coordinated criminal network that began targeting Americans in 2023, steered fraudulent relationships through online platforms, and eventually persuaded victims to send money and valuables. Ghanaian authorities arrested Kumi on December 11, 2025.
Court filings describe a system in which perpetrators adopted fabricated identities, nurtured close emotional ties, and convinced victims to trust them through frequent communication by phone, email, and various messaging applications. The targets were often older adults who believed they were in genuine long-distance relationships. Once trust was secured, scammers asked for financial help by invoking fabricated emergencies, travel needs, or investment opportunities. Funds and goods were then routed to co-conspirators posing as intermediaries.
Prosecutors say that after victims transferred money, Kumi coordinated with associates in Ohio and throughout the United States to move the funds to contacts in Ghana and other destinations. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification. If convicted, Kumi faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years.
Any final sentence will be determined by the court after considering a defendant’s criminal history, role in the offense, and other case-specific factors. Judges cannot exceed the statutory maximum, and sentences typically fall below the upper limit. Prosecutors also emphasized that an indictment is merely an allegation, noting that every defendant is presumed innocent and the government must establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was developed by the FBI’s Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough of the Northern District of Ohio. Federal officials credited extensive coordination with multiple Ghanaian agencies, including the Attorney General’s Office, the Economic Organised Crime Office, the Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission, and the National Intelligence Bureau. U.S. entities such as the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Sensitive Investigation Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché in Accra also assisted.
Prosecutors indicated that the matter stems from the Elder Justice Initiative established under the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017, which supports nationwide efforts to disrupt schemes that exploit seniors through financial fraud, abuse, and deception.
