Abu Trica appears in court over $8m romance scam ahead of U.S. extradition
A Ghanaian national, Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica, appeared in the Gbese District Court in Accra on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, under heavy security.
Kumi’s arrest follows allegations that he orchestrated a multi-million-dollar online romance scam targeting elderly U.S. citizens, in a case involving joint operations between Ghanaian law enforcement and the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
A video of his court appearance was shared on social media by Kofi TV. The case has garnered international attention due to the scale of the alleged fraud and the cross-border cooperation that led to his arrest.
According to investigators, Kumi is accused of masterminding an elaborate online romance scheme that reportedly defrauded victims of approximately $8 million.
Most of the alleged victims were elderly Americans who were lured through fake online relationships and persuaded to transfer large sums of money under false pretenses. Kumi is expected to face prosecution in the United States, where a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio has indicted him on charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
Prosecutors say the fraudulent activities began in 2023 and involved the use of fake online identities to build emotional connections with victims before exploiting them financially.
Kumi remains in custody in Ghana as legal proceedings continue, pending possible extradition to the U.S. to face the charges.
In a statement on Friday, December 12, 2025, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) confirmed that the arrest was carried out on Thursday, December 11, following months of intensive investigations coordinated with both local and international law enforcement agencies.
