A 40-year-old Ghanaian national, Derrick Van Yeboah, has pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to his involvement in a massive online fraud operation that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes.
Van Yeboah, who admitted to personally causing losses exceeding $10 million (approximately GH¢107 million at current exchange rates), entered his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud before Judge Arun Subramanian of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton on March 6, 2026, who described the scheme as a “massive criminal scheme targeting elderly men and women in online romance scams.” Clayton emphasised that Van Yeboah and his accomplices “cruelly exploited” victims’ vulnerabilities for illicit gains, with Van Yeboah’s direct actions linked to over $10 million in losses.
Court documents reveal that Van Yeboah was a key member of an international criminal network primarily based in Ghana. The group used fake online identities to build fake romantic relationships with victims, mostly elderly individuals seeking companionship. Once trust was established, the scammers convinced victims to send money or participate in laundering funds from other frauds.
The organisation also executed business email compromise (BEC) attacks, deceiving companies into transferring funds to accounts controlled by the network. Authorities estimate the group stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims across the United States, with proceeds moved to West Africa.
Van Yeboah personally impersonated fake romantic partners in multiple scams, communicating directly with victims to extract funds.
As part of his plea agreement, Van Yeboah has agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture amounting to $10,149,429.17. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Clayton praised the FBI’s investigative efforts and acknowledged cooperation from Ghanaian authorities and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in bringing the case forward.