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Ghanaian socialite Abu Trica faces 20 years in US prison for alleged $8 million romance scam
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Ghanaian socialite Frederick Kumi, known as Abu Trica, has been extradited to the United States and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. According to a report from the United States Attorney鈥檚 Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Abu Trica allegedly defrauded over 80 elderly victims of more than $8 million through romance scams. The report details how victims were misled by false stories of gold or diamond inheritances and sent money via wire transfer to accounts controlled by the conspiracy members. Portions of these funds were then provided to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere. Kumi and other co-conspirators allegedly used money mules in Ghana and contacts within the Ghanaian immigrant community in the U.S. to launder millions through fake businesses and bank accounts. Abu Trica is accused of using these illicit gains to acquire luxury vehicles and other assets, including a mansion in Ghana, a Lamborghini, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Mercedes-Benz, and a BMW, all of which have been seized by U.S. authorities. Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, and extradited to the United States on July 9, 2026. He and co-defendant Daniel Yussif, also known as Denteni and Slab, allegedly targeted elderly victims in romance scams across the United States starting in 2023.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
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