Ghanaian social media influencer Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, has been extradited to the United States to face charges over an alleged romance scam that prosecutors say defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8 million (£5.9 million).
Kumi, who denies all allegations against him, was flown to the US on Thursday after being accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
According to US prosecutors, Kumi allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to create fake online identities and targeted victims through social media and dating platforms. Investigators said he built trust with victims through prolonged and intimate conversations before persuading them to send money under false pretenses.
According to BBC, the victims were allegedly asked to provide funds for fabricated emergencies, including medical expenses, travel costs and investment opportunities.
Prosecutors further alleged that the money and valuables were transferred to accomplices posing as third parties before Kumi distributed the proceeds among associates in both Ghana and the United States.
Kumi’s extradition has, however, sparked legal controversy in Ghana.
His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, however told BBC that he appeared in court on Thursday in an attempt to halt the extradition, only to discover that his client had already been flown out of the country on a Delta Airlines flight.
Barker-Vormawor accused the Ghanaian government of bypassing “judicial oversight” by allegedly proceeding with the extradition before the court could deliver its ruling. He argued that the government’s action “raises profound constitutional questions.”
The Ghanaian government has not publicly responded to the allegations.
Kumi, a native of Swedru in southern Ghana, built a significant online following of nearly 100,000 Instagram users, frequently showcasing luxury cars and expensive lifestyle items, which had drawn public scrutiny over the source of his wealth.
He was arrested last year during a joint operation involving Ghanaian and US law enforcement authorities.
The case is being prosecuted under the US Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, as American authorities intensify efforts to dismantle fraud syndicates operating across the US and West Africa that target elderly victims.
