Influencer charged with scamming the elderly over Ksh1.03B
A popular Ghanaian social media influencer known as Abu Trica, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, has been arrested over accusations that he orchestrated a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of over Ksh1.03 billion.
Prosecutors said he used AI tools to create fake online identities, targeting victims through social media and dating sites, earning their trust, then extorting their money.
You might also like
Kumi faces charges in the US of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and a money laundering conspiracy, and faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
The 31-year-old was arrested in Ghana following a joint operation between the two countries, and the US will now seek to extradite him.
He has not yet commented on the accusations.
Kumi, who is also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, flaunted luxury items online to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers.
This raised suspicions about the sources of his income.
”The perpetrators built trust through frequent, intimate conversations by phone, email, and messaging platforms,” with victims, said prosecutors.
“They then requested money or valuables under false pretences, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses, or investment opportunities.”
The monies, or valuables, were then directed to co-conspirators posing as third parties. Kumi is said to have distributed the money to his associates in the US and in Ghana.
The case is being prosecuted under the US Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution law.
US authorities have in recent months stepped up their crackdown on criminal networks operating in the US and West Africa that seek to defraud elderly Americans.
In July 2025, a Ghanaian fraudster, popularly known as Dada Joe Remix, was extradited to the US for using romance and inheritance schemes to defraud Americans.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the accused laundered proceeds and shared funds with co-conspirators in Ghana and other locations.
“The defendants used various wire fraud and romance fraud schemes, often targeting elderly individuals, to obtain funds by means of pretences,” the statement said.
In early December 2025, a court in the US also sentenced Oluwaseun Adekoya, a Nigerian ringleader of nationwide bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies, to 20 years in prison for laundering over Ksh258.5 million.
