Ghanaian Man Admits Guilt in $100 Million Fraud Scheme

Ghanaian National Pleads Guilty in $100 Million Fraud Ring

A Ghanaian individual has admitted to his involvement in a significant fraud scheme that defrauded victims in the United States of over $100 million through business email compromise attacks and romance scams.

Derrick Van Yeboah, aged 40, entered a guilty plea for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and has agreed to pay restitution exceeding $10 million.

Van Yeboah was a key figure in a large-scale fraud group based in Ghana that targeted Americans from 2016 to May 2023. He was extradited to the U.S. in August 2025 along with his accomplices Isaac Oduro Boateng (also known as “Kofi Boat”), Inusah Ahmed (“Pascal”), and Patrick Kwame Asare (“Borgar”).

The scammers, who referred to themselves as “game boys” or “sakawa boys,” exploited vulnerable elderly individuals in the U.S. by creating fake romantic relationships online and convincing them to send money to American intermediaries after gaining their trust.

The American accomplices would then launder the funds, retain a portion as their share, and transfer the remainder to the criminal ring members in West Africa, known as “chairmen,” who orchestrated the fraudulent operations.

In addition to romance scams, the group carried out business email compromise attacks by impersonating customers or employees of targeted businesses to deceive them into transferring funds.

Prosecutors revealed that Van Yeboah personally executed many of the romance scams outlined in the indictment, resulting in losses exceeding $10 million.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated, “Van Yeboah callously exploited the vulnerabilities of many New Yorkers who seek companionship online, amassing over $10 million in illegal gains.”

He added, “Today’s plea serves as a cautionary tale to exercise caution online, particularly on dating platforms, refrain from sending money to individuals you’ve recently met, and remember that if something appears too good to be true, it likely is.”

Van Yeboah is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian on June 3 and could face a maximum of 20 years in prison.