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gulfnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Harsh Vardhan Jain, who falsely claimed to represent the micronation Westarctica, operated an elaborate fraud scheme from a fake embassy in Ghaziabad since 2017, defrauding victims of an estimated ₹3 billion through shell companies, money laundering via hawala networks, and employment scams promising overseas jobs. During a July 2022 raid, authorities seized ₹4 million in cash, forged diplomatic passports, luxury items, and vehicles with fake diplomatic plates; Jain had made 162 international trips across 40 countries and maintained 20 bank accounts globally. Westarctica officially distanced itself from
news.trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
This June 2025 conversation with economic crime expert Olivier Beaudet-Labrecque examines the global scam economy, revealing how economic hardship and youth unemployment in West Africa are driving individuals into online fraud schemes including romance scams and SIM-swapping, often learned through peer networks in cyber cafes. The discussion highlights that scams harm both international victims and local communities, strain under-resourced law enforcement, and damage entire nations' digital reputations and economic access. Key takeaway: combating online fraud requires empathy, education, and technological solutions to address the socioeconomic drivers fueling the scam ecosystem.
bhaskarenglish.in
· 2025-12-08
A woman doctor in Gandhinagar, Gujarat lost ₹19.24 crore over three months in India's largest digital arrest scam, which began in March 2025 when fraudsters impersonated government officials and threatened her with fake FEMA and PMLA charges. Kept under psychological "digital arrest" with mandatory video call check-ins, the victim was coerced to liquidate assets including home gold, fixed deposits, and property, with funds transferred to 35 bank accounts; Gujarat CID registered a case against 35 people, with one suspect arrested in Surat and investigations revealing international cyber gang involvement.
shreveporttimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Kenneth G. Akpieyi, 44, from Georgia, was convicted in July 2025 on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering for operating a "fake Romeo" romance scam that defrauded multiple women of over $3 million. Operating under the alias "Phillip Anderson," Akpieyi used social media platforms to build fake romantic relationships with victims, then convinced them to send money for fabricated reasons such as charitable work or family emergencies, funneling the funds through his auto brokerage company to obscure their movement. Eight victims testified during trial, with sentencing scheduled for November 2025.
moodys.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams emerged as one of the fastest-growing fraud threats in 2025, with reported losses skyrocketing from $90 million in 2020 to over $501 million in 2024, according to FTC data. These scams lure victims through fake job postings with promises of high pay and remote work, then harvest sensitive personal information for identity theft and synthetic identity fraud rather than seeking quick financial gains. The use of artificial intelligence to create convincing fake interviews and resumes, combined with AI-driven data manipulation and fraud detection bypass, is making job scams increasingly difficult to detect and enforce against.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Emmanuel Ugbaja, a 56-year-old Georgia man, was sentenced to 5 years probation with 2 years home confinement for money laundering in connection with internet scams that defrauded two victims of $60,000 in 2018—one through a romance scam and one through an inheritance scam. Ugbaja received the fraudulent funds into his bank account, kept a portion for himself, and sent the remainder to a maritime broker as a vessel down payment. In addition to probation, he was ordered to pay over $97,000 in restitution to the fraud victims and over $135,000 to the Small Business Administration
m.independent.ie
· 2025-12-08
Jadwiga Lewandowska, a 54-year-old woman, fell victim to a sophisticated scam advertised on Snapchat and unknowingly facilitated the theft of €8,002.53 from Donegal man Matthew Byrne's Bank of Ireland account in August 2021, with €7,000 subsequently transferred to cryptocurrency. After being informed by the bank that her account had been used for fraud, Lewandowska authorized full reimbursement to the victim and pleaded guilty to money laundering, receiving 75 hours of community service instead of a six-month sentence.
wsbtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Kenneth G. Akpieyi, a 44-year-old Cobb County man, was found guilty of operating a years-long romance scam in which he posed as "Phillip Anderson" on social media platforms to build fake romantic relationships with victims and solicit money for fabricated reasons. Eight victims testified to losses exceeding $3 million, with Akpieyi using his business account and multiple banks to launder the stolen funds to accounts in foreign countries including China and the UAE. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each count of mail fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, with sentencing scheduled for November 5, 2025.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
Kenneth G. Akpieyi, a 44-year-old from Georgia, was convicted of operating a multi-million-dollar online romance scam targeting women globally through fake identities on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. He and his international fraud network defrauded victims of over $3 million by posing as military officers, businessmen, and philanthropists, then laundering the money through multiple U.S. bank accounts and overseas accounts in China and the UAE. Akpieyi faces up to 20 years in prison per count and financial penalties between $250,000 and $500,000.
atlantanewsfirst.com
· 2025-12-08
Kenneth Akpieyi, a 44-year-old from Marietta, Georgia, was convicted of operating romance scams that defrauded at least eight women of over $3 million. The scheme involved posing as wealthy figures on social media, building romantic relationships with victims, and requesting money under false pretenses, with funds routed through his auto brokerage company and sent to accounts internationally. Akpieyi faces decades in prison and substantial fines upon sentencing in November 2025.
irs.gov
· 2025-12-08
Roger Roger, a Costa Rica resident, was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for leading a telemarketing fraud scheme that stole more than $4 million from hundreds of U.S. victims, many of them elderly, by posing as government officials and convincing them they had won sweepstakes prizes requiring upfront payments. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit international money laundering, and international money laundering, and was ordered to pay $3.3 million in restitution and forfeit $4.2 million.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Jamal Nathan Dawood, 54, of Burbank was found guilty of embezzling approximately $2.2 million from an elderly victim's estate inherited from the victim's deceased brother through wire fraud and money laundering schemes conducted in late 2019. Dawood gained the victim's trust by offering property management assistance, then fraudulently transferred funds from the victim's trust account to his own accounts and falsely convinced the victim to transfer ownership of his home and inherited real estate to companies Dawood controlled. Dawood faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud charges and up to 10 years for money laundering charges at his December 8 sentencing
daijiworld.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior woman doctor in Gandhinagar was defrauded of over Rs 19 crore in a "digital arrest" scam lasting three months, where fraudsters posing as government officials (telecommunications, police, and prosecutors) used fake legal threats and constant surveillance to coerce her into liquidating assets and transferring money to multiple accounts. The scam involved forged ED documents and claims of FEMA/PMLA investigations, with the victim kept under constant contact via video calls and threatened with asset seizure. One suspect, Lalji Jayantibhai Baldaniya, was arrested, though investigations continue to identify other perpetrators and recover funds; authorities note this scam pattern is increasingly common
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
Jamal "Jimmy" Dawood, a 54-year-old Burbank man, was convicted of embezzling $2.2 million from an elderly victim by fraudulently managing the victim's inherited real estate and savings, secretly transferring funds to his own accounts and those of associates, and falsely transferring properties to companies he controlled. Dawood was found guilty of six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering, with sentencing set for December 8 where he faces up to 20 years per wire fraud count. The DOJ highlighted that elder fraud victims aged 60 and older can report scams to the National Elder Fraud Hotline at
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
A San Fernando Valley man, Jamal Nathan Dawood, was found guilty of embezzling approximately $2.2 million from an elderly victim by posing as a financial advisor, fraudulently transferring the victim's inherited retirement savings and real estate properties to accounts and companies under his control. Dawood was convicted on six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering and faces a maximum sentence of 210 years in prison.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Jamal Nathan Dawood, 54, of Burbank, California was found guilty of embezzling approximately $2.2 million from an elderly man by fraudulently offering to help manage an inheritance, then stealing funds through unauthorized wire transfers and convincing the victim to transfer ownership of his home and inherited real estate to shell companies he controlled. Dawood was convicted on six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering and faces a maximum sentence of 210 years in prison.
noozhawk.com
· 2025-12-08
Jonathan Tudor, a 64-year-old West Hollywood man, was arrested for allegedly posing as a BMW luxury car executive and scamming at least four Santa Barbara County victims out of approximately $16,000 each by promising discounted high-end vehicles that were never delivered. Tudor faces 44 felony counts including elder theft, securities fraud, grand theft, and money laundering, with authorities discovering over $250,000 in luxury goods at his home but no evidence the promised vehicles existed. Detectives believe additional victims exist in Los Angeles and beyond and are seeking them to come forward.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
A San Fernando Valley man, Jamal Nathan Dawood, 54, was found guilty of embezzling approximately $2.2 million from an elderly victim's inherited estate through wire fraud and money laundering schemes conducted in 2019. Dawood fraudulently transferred funds from the victim's trust account to his own accounts, convinced the victim to transfer ownership of his home and inherited real estate properties to companies he controlled, and misrepresented that the victim would retain ownership interests. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud counts and up to 10 years for money laundering counts at his December 8 sentencing hearing.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
Sprawling scam compounds in Myanmar (including Shwe Kokko and KK Park) have become major fraud factories where over 120,000 trafficking victims since 2023 are coerced into operating romance scams, crypto fraud, and pig-butchering schemes targeting foreign victims, with Americans losing an estimated $5 billion in 2024. Victims are lured with false job promises, then trapped under threat of violence and forced to commit crimes; while efforts by Thailand, Myanmar, and China have repatriated over 7,000 people, thousands remain stranded and the operations persist due to protection by ethnic armed groups despite U.S. sanctions and international crack
solacebase.com
· 2025-12-08
A Dubai-based businessman from Kano, Auwalu Tijjani Rabi'u, was declared wanted by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) for alleged conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretense, and money laundering totaling $1,931,700.12. Local stakeholders defended Rabi'u, claiming he was actually the victim who overpaid approximately $3.2 million in a 2023 business transaction with Ifeanyi Ezeokolu and had reported the matter to the DSS; they alleged Ezeokolu escalated the civil dispute to the EFCC to evade refunding the verified overp
edhat.com
· 2025-12-08
Johnathan Edward Tudor, 64, of West Hollywood was arrested and charged with 44 felony counts including theft from an elder, securities fraud, and money laundering after posing as a BMW executive to defraud victims of approximately $16,000 each for luxury vehicles that were never delivered. Investigators identified at least four victims in Santa Barbara County during a scheme that began in November 2024, and seized over $250,000 in luxury goods from Tudor's residence believed purchased with victim funds; authorities believe additional victims may exist in Los Angeles and beyond.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Jamal Nathan Dawood of Burbank was convicted of embezzling over $2.2 million from an elderly victim by offering to manage his inherited assets, then fraudulently transferring funds and real estate properties to accounts and companies he controlled without the victim's knowledge. Dawood was found guilty of six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering, with sentencing scheduled for December 8, 2025, where he faces up to 20 years per wire fraud count and up to 10 years per money laundering count. The case illustrates the risk of financial exploitation targeting elderly individuals with inherited assets.
newskarnataka.com
· 2025-12-08
A Mangaluru resident lost ₹22,59,613 to an online trading scam that began in October 2024 after he clicked a link from a Facebook video featuring a deepfake of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Multiple fraudsters posing as traders and bank officials contacted him over several months, convincing him to make repeated transfers under false pretenses including taxes, penalties, and money laundering threats. The victim filed a police complaint in March 2025 when he realized no profits or withdrawals would materialize, and investigations are ongoing at Kankanady Town Police Station.
witnessngr.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Nigerian nationals, Osakpamwan Henry Omoruyi (37) and Osaretin Godspower Omoruyi (36), were convicted by federal jury in Boston of bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and money laundering conspiracy for operating romance scams and pandemic unemployment assistance fraud schemes. Between 2019 and 2021, the defendants used fraudulent passports to open fake bank accounts that collected over $1.7 million in proceeds from romance scams, which they then transferred overseas. Both face sentencing in September 2023, with potential sentences up to 30 years in prison for the fraud charges.
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this content. The text you've provided appears to be a navigation menu or site structure from the American Bankers Association website, not an article or transcript about a scam, fraud incident, or elder abuse case.
To help you, please provide an actual article, news story, or transcript that describes a specific fraud or scam incident.
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network warned that cryptocurrency ATMs are increasingly being exploited for scams and money laundering, with the FBI receiving nearly 11,000 complaints and documenting $246.7 million in victim losses last year. The machines, found in commercial spaces like gas stations, are particularly vulnerable when operators fail to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, and scammers primarily target seniors by instructing them to deposit cash at unregistered kiosks. The Treasury urged financial institutions to monitor for suspicious patterns such as multiple below-threshold deposits and significant cash withdrawals intended for crypto ATM use.
bizzbuzz.news
· 2025-12-08
BreadXPay is a fraudulent fintech platform orchestrated by Joshua Sneider that targets retirees worldwide with promises of cross-border payment solutions and high investment returns (up to 10% monthly). The scam operates through shell companies registered in jurisdictions like Canada and the UK with puppet directors, funneling victim deposits through offshore accounts where they disappear; one documented case involved a 72-year-old Florida teacher who lost her $25,000 life savings after receiving fabricated account statements and being blocked from withdrawals. Elder financial abuse through schemes like this costs seniors over $28.3 billion annually globally.
mwe.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not relevant to elder fraud research. It discusses recent changes to white-collar crime enforcement policies in the US Department of Justice and UK Serious Fraud Office, focusing on corporate self-disclosure incentives, FCPA enforcement, and anti-bribery measures—topics outside the scope of elder abuse, elder fraud, or scams targeting seniors.
postcrescent.com
· 2025-12-08
A Grand Chute woman was defrauded of over $2.2 million in gold bars in a scam where she believed she was protecting her money, leading to federal charges against Antonio Peña and Brandi Durst for money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud. The scammers posed as Microsoft representatives, bank officials, and government agents to build trust, isolated victims from family members, and convinced them to convert retirement funds into gold bars, which the defendants would then steal. Gold bar scams have become increasingly common and specifically target elderly populations, as gold is difficult to trace and perceived as secure, making it ideal for money laundering schemes.
mondaq.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams have evolved to exploit cryptocurrency investments rather than traditional forex trading, using dating apps as the initial contact point where scammers build emotional trust with victims before directing them to fake investment platforms. The scam operates by showing fabricated profits on fraudulent websites, then requesting additional "fees" or "taxes" to withdraw funds, with victims often investing money they cannot afford to lose and accumulating debt. The article advises protecting yourself by recognizing that emotional manipulation combined with promises of easy investment returns are classic warning signs, and following the principle of never investing more than you can afford to lose.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
FTC reports document a surge in imposter scams targeting retirees, with scammers posing as trusted government agencies and businesses to drain bank accounts and retirement funds through fake security alerts and false criminal accusations. From 2020 to 2024, reports of older adults losing $10,000 or more increased fourfold, while reports of losses exceeding $100,000 increased nearly sevenfold. These scams exploit older adults' vigilance about financial security by creating false urgency through phone calls and fabricated crises, instructing victims to transfer funds, use Bitcoin ATMs, or hand cash to couriers—tactics the real FTC and legitimate companies never use.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Vietnamese authorities are warning of a surge in "virtual kidnapping" scams targeting students and young people living away from home, where criminals impersonate police or prosecutors, isolate victims, and extort money from families. Between late July and early August, police in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other provinces rescued at least five victims who had been coerced into fake kidnapping scenarios, with scammers demanding ransoms ranging from 250 million to 600 million dong (approximately $12,200-$29,200 USD). Experts attribute the scams' success to gaps in family relationships and lack of digital literacy education, recommending schools integrate cybersecurity awareness into
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Four Ghanaian nationals were indicted and three were extradited to the U.S. for their roles in an international criminal organization that stole over $100 million through romance scams targeting vulnerable elderly victims and business email compromise schemes. The defendants, including high-ranking members "Isaac Oduro Boateng" and "Inusah Ahmed" who directed the operation, deceived victims into believing they were in romantic relationships before exploiting their trust to steal money, which was then laundered back to West Africa. Each defendant faces multiple charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and receipt of stolen property, with maximum sentences up to 20 years.
fontanaheraldnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Nathan Dawood, 54, of Burbank, was found guilty of embezzling approximately $2.2 million from an elderly victim's inherited estate and retirement savings by fraudulently transferring funds to his own accounts and convincing the victim to transfer property ownership to companies he controlled. Dawood was convicted on six counts of wire fraud and nine counts of money laundering, with sentencing scheduled for December 8, 2024, where he faces up to 20 years in federal prison per wire fraud count. The FBI investigated the case, which occurred during the second half of 2019 when Dawood initially offered to help the victim manage inherited real estate and retirement accounts.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
A 48-year-old NHS healthcare worker nearly fell victim to a romance scam in 2021 when an imposter posing as an army medic asked her to send gift cards, which she refused. After sharing her experience online and helping others identify similar scams, she built a large social media following (@staysafewithmjules) dedicated to warning people about fraud, but subsequently became a victim of identity theft when she sent copies of her passport and driving license to a fraudulent HMRC email. Her stolen identity was used to open a fake business for money laundering, leading to dozens of rejected loan applications, damaged credit, and a £16,000 fraudulent loan in her name
independent.com
· 2025-12-08
On August 4, a 77-year-old woman in Goleta nearly lost $30,000 to an elaborate phone scam in which callers impersonating Amazon and Federal Trade Commission agents instructed her to withdraw cash and provide photos of the money. The victim became suspicious due to misspellings in an email, contacted the sheriff's office while still on the call, and deputies arrested Caihong Lei as she retrieved the box of cash from the victim's property. Lei was charged with grand theft by false pretense, conspiracy to commit fraud, and misdemeanor prowling, with bail set at $500,000, while investigators determined whether she was part of a larger scam network.
southernmarylandchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal Trade Commission data reveals a more than four-fold increase since 2020 in reports from adults 60 and older losing $10,000 or more to impersonation scams, with combined losses exceeding $100,000 jumping from $55 million in 2020 to $445 million in 2024. Common tactics include fraudsters posing as government officials, banks, or tech companies to convince victims to transfer funds via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or courier delivery under false pretenses of account protection or legal issues. The FTC reported $12.5 billion in total scam losses nationally in 2024, with older adults accounting for $2.3 billion an
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
The U.S. Treasury Department's FinCEN warned in 2024 that Bitcoin ATM fraud had surged dramatically, with nearly 11,000 complaints and estimated victim losses of $247 million. Elderly individuals were the primary targets of these scams, which also involved money laundering activities through non-compliant crypto ATM operators. FinCEN urged financial institutions to implement proactive detection measures and file suspicious activity reports for transactions exhibiting red flags such as multiple sub-threshold deposits and ATMs lacking proper customer identification requirements.
chimpreports.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Ghanaian nationals—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick Van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States in August 2025 and charged with leading a criminal network that stole over $100 million from American victims through romance scams and business email compromise schemes. The defendants, who allegedly targeted elderly Americans with fictitious romantic identities and deceived companies into wire transfers, face charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with maximum penalties of 20 years in prison. A fourth suspect, Patrick Kwame Asare, remains at large.
nilepost.co.ug
· 2025-12-08
Four Ghanaian nationals were charged with operating an international fraud ring that defrauded individuals and businesses of over $100 million through romance scams targeting vulnerable elderly victims and business email compromise schemes. Three of the defendants—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick Van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States and appeared in Manhattan federal court, while a fourth suspect remains at large. All four face multiple federal charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison per wire fraud count.
thecable.ng
· 2025-12-08
Four Ghanaian nationals were indicted in the U.S. for operating an international fraud ring that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly people, and business email compromise attacks. Three of the defendants were extradited to the United States, while one remains at large; they face charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with potential sentences up to 20 years. The stolen proceeds were laundered back to West Africa, with two defendants identified as coordinators of the criminal organization.
chronicle.ng
· 2025-12-08
Four Ghanaian nationals have been indicted in the United States for their roles in an international fraud ring that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly people, and business email compromise attacks on companies. Three of the defendants were extradited to the US in August, while one remains at large; they face multiple charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with potential sentences up to 20 years for some counts. The stolen proceeds were laundered back to West Africa, with the operation coordinated by leaders identified as "chairmen" of the criminal enterprise.
cedirates.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Ghanaian nationals—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick Van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States in August 2025 to face charges in connection with an international fraud ring that stole over $100 million through romance scams targeting elderly victims and business email compromise schemes. The men allegedly led the Ghana-based criminal operation that deceived elderly Americans into false romantic relationships to extract money and also defrauded U.S. companies, with proceeds laundered back to West Africa. Each defendant faces multiple charges including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and receipt of stolen money, carrying potential sentences
businessday.ng
· 2025-12-08
Three Ghanaian men—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States in August to face charges for operating an international fraud scheme that defrauded American victims and businesses of over $100 million. The organization targeted elderly Americans through romance scams and targeted businesses with email compromise schemes, laundering proceeds through Ghana. All three defendants face charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with sentences up to 20 years if convicted.
cutoday.info
· 2025-12-08
Reports of high-value impersonation scams targeting adults 60 and over have surged dramatically since 2020, with losses exceeding $100,000 increasing eight-fold from $55 million in 2020 to $445 million in 2024, according to FTC analysis. Scammers impersonating government agencies, banks, or tech companies (including fake FTC agents) trick victims into transferring money by claiming urgent security threats or suspicious account activity, when the funds are actually stolen. The three primary deception tactics involve falsely claiming someone is using the victim's accounts, that their personal information is being used for crimes, or that their computer has security problems.
businessday.ng
· 2025-12-08
Three Ghanaian men—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States and charged with operating an international fraud scheme that defrauded American victims of over $100 million through romance scams targeting elderly individuals and business email compromise schemes targeting companies. The defendants allegedly created fake online identities to build trust with victims before extracting money, with proceeds laundered through various channels back to Ghana; a fourth suspect remains at large. Each defendant faces wire fraud, money laundering, and related charges carrying maximum sentences of 20 years in prison.
mychesco.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission reported that losses to sophisticated impersonation scams among Americans aged 60 and over have skyrocketed eightfold since 2020, with losses exceeding $100,000 rising from $55 million in 2020 to $445 million in 2024. Scammers impersonate banks, government agencies, and tech companies to create false urgency and trick victims into transferring funds, with some older adults losing their entire life savings. The FTC recommends consumers never transfer money based on unsolicited requests, independently verify suspicious calls by hanging up and calling official numbers, and use call-blocking tools to prevent fraudulent contact.
hackread.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Ghanaian men—Isaac Oduro Boateng, Inusah Ahmed, and Derrick Van Yeboah—were extradited to the United States in August 2025 to face charges for their roles in a $100 million fraud scheme involving romance scams targeting vulnerable elderly individuals and business email compromise attacks on companies. The criminals created fake online identities to gain victims' trust and convince them to send money, while also impersonating business executives to trick employees into wiring funds to fraudulent accounts; the stolen money was then laundered through West Africa. A fourth suspect, Patrick Kwame Asare, remains at large, and the defendants face multiple charges including wire frau
govinfosecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Four Ghanaian nationals were extradited to the United States and charged with stealing over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise (BEC) attacks targeting U.S. victims and organizations from 2016 to May 2023, with particular focus on vulnerable older men and women. The criminals, operating as part of a "sakawa" criminal organization, used fake identities and forged email accounts to trick victims into sending money or laundering stolen funds through shell company bank accounts in the U.S. before funneling proceeds to West Africa; three defendants have been extradited and face up to 75 years in prison, while one remains at large.
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Four high-ranking members of a Ghana-based criminal organization were indicted by the US Attorney's Office for stealing over $100 million from victims through romance scams targeting elderly people and business email compromise schemes. Three of the accused were extradited to the US in August 2025 on charges including wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, while the fourth remains at large; the stolen funds were laundered through West Africa to criminal operatives who directed the broader conspiracy.