BY Grace Zigah
A Ghanaian national has pleaded guilty in a United States court to participating in a large international fraud network that defrauded victims of more than $100 million through online romance scams and business email compromise schemes.
The suspect, Derrick Van Yeboah, 40, entered a guilty plea before Arun Subramanian in a U.S. District Court after being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Prosecutors say the case forms part of a broader crackdown on transnational cybercrime networks that target victims through online deception.
According to investigators, Van Yeboah was a member of a criminal organisation believed to be primarily based in Ghana that carried out coordinated fraud operations targeting individuals and businesses across the United States. The group allegedly ran romance scams and business email compromise schemes that collectively stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims.
Court documents indicate that many victims were elderly men and women who were manipulated into believing they were engaged in genuine romantic relationships with individuals they met online. In reality, prosecutors say the identities used in these online interactions were fabricated and controlled by members of the fraud syndicate.
Once the victims’ trust had been established, they were persuaded to send money to accounts controlled by the criminal network. In some cases, victims were unknowingly used to help transfer or launder funds that had been obtained from other victims as part of the wider scheme.
Authorities further revealed that members of the syndicate also executed business email compromise scams by impersonating legitimate business partners or executives. Through these impersonation tactics, companies were deceived into transferring funds to accounts linked to the fraud network.
Investigators say Van Yeboah personally carried out several romance scams by posing as a romantic partner and communicating directly with victims online. Prosecutors allege that his activities alone resulted in losses exceeding $10 million.
Commenting on the case, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton warned about the growing threat of online relationship fraud, noting that many people searching for companionship on the internet can become vulnerable to manipulation by criminal actors.
“Many New Yorkers search for companionship online, and no one deserves to have their vulnerability met with fraud and theft,” Clayton said, adding that the guilty plea serves as a reminder for the public to remain cautious when interacting with strangers on dating platforms and to avoid sending money to individuals they have never met in person.
Van Yeboah has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offence that carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years under U.S. law. Sentencing is expected to take place at a later date.
