Ghanaian fraud ‘chairmen’ Kofi Boat and Pascal plead guilty to $100m US romance scam, agree to pay $41.1m

Two Ghanaian men described as “chairmen” of an international criminal organisation that stole more than $100 million from victims in the United States through romance scams and business email fraud have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Isaac Oduro Boateng, also known as Kofi Boat, and Inusah Ahmed, alias Pascal, entered their guilty pleas before US District Judge Arun Subramanian. Boateng pleaded guilty on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while Ahmed entered his plea on Tuesday, October 27, 2026.

According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Boateng has agreed to pay $12.53 million in restitution and forfeiture, while Ahmed has agreed to pay $28.57 million, bringing their combined financial obligations to approximately $41.1 million.

The criminal organisation, which was primarily based in Ghana, targeted individuals and businesses across the United States. Many of its victims were older men and women who were deceived into believing they were in online romantic relationships with people using fake identities.

After gaining the victims’ trust, members of the organisation persuaded them to send money to the group or assist in laundering funds obtained from other victims. The syndicate also carried out business email compromise schemes to trick companies into transferring money to its members.

The US Attorney’s Office said the conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims, with the proceeds subsequently laundered to West Africa.

Boateng, 37, and Ahmed, 41, allegedly played supervisory roles in the organisation’s activities. The authorities attributed approximately $12.5 million in victim losses to Boateng and $28.5 million to Ahmed.

Both men pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Their actual sentences will be determined by the judge.

A third member of the organisation, Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as Van, has been sentenced to 85 months in prison. Another alleged co-conspirator, Patrick Kwame Asare, known as Borgar, remains at large.

The US Attorney’s Office credited several American and Ghanaian agencies with assisting in the investigation and securing the extradition of Boateng and Ahmed on August 7, 2025.

The agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Ghana’s Attorney-General’s Office and its International Cooperation Unit, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the Ghana Immigration Service, the National Intelligence Bureau and the Financial Intelligence Centre.

The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is prosecuting the case through its Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.