The United States (USA) has detailed how a Ghanaian national identified as Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as “Van,” orchestrated an elaborate online fraud operation that preyed on the emotional vulnerabilities of individuals and businesses.

The scheme is said to have ultimately led to defrauding victims of more than $100 million.

Ghanaian national pleads guilty to $100 million romance scam

Providing details in the role of the suspect, the US stated that Van Yeboah and his associates operated largely from Ghana, targeting elderly men and women seeking companionship online.

They posed as romantic partners, carefully cultivating trust over weeks or months before persuading victims to send money under false pretenses.

Investigators say the group used a combination of psychological manipulation and technical tools to convince victims their interactions were genuine.

However, once money was transferred, it was routed through a network of accounts and ultimately laundered to West Africa.

In addition to romance scams, the report added that the syndicate also carried out business email compromise schemes, impersonating company executives or vendors to trick businesses into wiring funds to accounts under their control.

Investigators say many of those targeted were elderly men and women who believed they were communicating with genuine romantic partners online.

In total, the criminal enterprise is believed to have stolen and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims across the United States.

Van Yeboah reportedly admitted personally managing several of the romance scams, communicating directly with victims under fictitious identities and securing over $10 million in illicit funds through these interactions.

He has since pleaded guilty in a United States court to his role in the international online fraud scheme.

He entered the guilty plea before Judge Arun Subramanian at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

Under the plea agreement, Van Yeboah admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison under US law.

$10 Million Romance Fraud: What US investigators discovered about Ghanaian suspect

He has also agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture amounting to $10,149,429.17, representing the proceeds of the crimes attributed to him.

Van Yeboah is expected to be sentenced on June 3, 2026.

MAG/AE

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