A well-known Ghanaian social media figure, Frederick Kumi, better known online as Abu Trica, has been sent to the United States to stand trial over accusations that he ran a large-scale romance scam targeting older Americans. He denies the charges.
US prosecutors say the scheme brought in more than $8 million (£5.9m). They allege Kumi used artificial intelligence to build convincing fake online personas, which he then used to approach victims on social media and dating apps.
How the scam allegedly worked
According to prosecutors, the fake profiles built emotional connections with victims through regular, intimate messaging. Once trust was established, the victims were reportedly asked for money, often under invented reasons like emergency medical bills, travel costs, or investment opportunities.
Funds were then funneled to associates posing as unrelated third parties, prosecutors say, with Kumi allegedly sharing proceeds with collaborators both in the US and Ghana.
