Ghana extradite socialite Abu Trica to US to face $8m fraud charges

Ghana don extradite popular socialite Frederick Kumi aka Abu Trica to di US to face romance scam and fraud charges.

According to di US attorney office, Abu Trica be part of one criminal network wey target elderly victims through romance scams and defraud dia victims of up to $8m since 2023.

Abu Trica comot Ghana in di company of FBI officers on Thursday, 9 July on top Delta airlines flight.

Ghana police bin arrest di 31-year-old for 11 December, 2025, months afta tori spread say im dey ontop FBI and Interpol radar.

Di extradition dey happun afta months of attempts by im lawyers to block im transfer to di US to face trial.

Di district court for Gbese bin approve di Attorney General im extradition request afta security officers bin re-arrest am.

Im lawyers file anoda last-minute application for di court to stop im transfer to America.

On Wednesday 8 July, one of im lawyers Oliver Barker-Vormawor bin tok say dem rush im client Abu Trica to di police hospital.

"I just don find out from sources for di police hospital say dem bin rush Abu Trica dia. Ova one week now, dem neva allow us access to Abu Trica."

Oliver Barker-Vormawor add on top im social media say "we no get idea wia dem dey keep am, wey Interpol wey first detain am for dia custody, say im no dey dia side".

"We go file habeas corpus application if di kontri continue to deny Abu Trica im basic right to counsel."

"Make we continue to dey treat our citizens as animals to please FBI. Today ibi one alleged fraud boy, tomorrow e go be politician," Oliver tok.

For June dis year, Abu Trica bin appear ontop one local TV station to grant interview wia im deny say im collect $8m from American citizens.

"Notin like $8m case against me, wetin dem tok be say dem give me $13,000," di 31-year-old tok ontop Onua TV.

Di extradition of Abu Trica dey come weeks afta di US also extradite ex-CEO of Ghana Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (Masloc), Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, wey run away from her 10-year jail term for corruption and embezzlement.

Ghana authorities say di former govment official dey for di Nsawam prison to begin her sentence even as her lawyers file case for court to appeal her 2024 conviction.

How Abu Trica and im network allegedly scam dia victims

According to di indictment, "di perpetrators of dis romance scam use artificial intelligence software to create fake identity and form personal relationships wit victims".

"Dis pipo get di trust of dia victims wey dem collect dia money and oda valuables – dem dey target di pipo through social media and oda dating platforms under false pretences," di US attorney office statement tok.

Di victims wey be older pipo, enta long-distance romantic relationship wit di syndicate. Di group build trust wit dia victims wit frequent calls and phone chats, emails and oda messaging platforms.

Afta dem get di trust of dia victims, dem now go ask dem for money or valuables say dem wan use am for medical bills, travel expenses or oda investment opportunities.

Wit dis misrepresentations, di victims send money and oda valuables.

Di indictment also allege say "afta di victims transfer di money, Abu Trica work wit im network to spread di money from Ohio and across di US to oda associates for Ghana and oda locations".

Charges Abu Trica dey face

Kumi dey charged wit conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy wey e dey face up to 20 years for prison.

If di court convict am, di court go sentence am depending on factors of di specific case.

Di US attorney office say dis indictment be only a charge, Abu Trica dey entitled to fair trial wey di govment of di US get di burden to prove di guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Bifor dis indictment, di Cleveland FBI investigate di mata wey assistant US attorney Brian McDonough for di North District of Ohio dey prosecute di case.

Dis case according to di US attorney office be sake of collabo among Ghana attorney general office, di Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco), Ghana Police Service and di Cyber Security Authority of Ghana.

Oda agencies wey contribute to di investigation be Ghana Narcotics Control Commission, Ghana National Intelligence Bureau, di U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Sensitive Investigation Unit and di U.S. Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations.

Di rest be U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs, and FBI Legal Attaché Office for Accra.

Abu Trica sue FBI and odas for alleged abuse, demand GHc 10m ($909K) for damages

Abu Trica for February dis year sue di FBI, Ghana attorney general and interior ministry for alleged abuse of human rights wen dem arrest am for December 2025.

E also add Ghana Narcotic Control Commission (Narcoc), Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) to di suit.

Di 31-year-old dey allege torture, unlawful detention and abuse of im human rights.

According to di US Attorney Office, Abu Trica be part of one criminal network wey dey target older victims through romance scams across di US since 2023.

Among oda tins, Abu Trica say FBI and oda security officers allegedly torture am wen dem storm im house to arrest am.

Inside court document, Abu Trica allege say security officers put im and im two friends for handcuffs wey dem no give dem food, water and oda basic tins wen dem arrest am.

E also tok say officers interrogate am witout im lawyers wen dem arrest am wey dem intimidate am.

Lawyers say to prevent di 31-year-old from im lawyer during di arrest and interrogation dey amount to abuse of im rights.

Dem also allege for court documents say foreign agents wit di FBI bin interrogate am witout di presence of im lawyer - wey dem collect im password, statement, signature and electronic access credential from di accused pesin.

Who be Abu Trica

Abu Trica wey dey flaunt raw cash for all im social media platforms dey live large wey e dey spray money for public entertainment events.

E also dey buy luxury cars wey e dey cruise around town - as e also dey show plush houses.

E get thousands of followers across TikTok and Instagram and e dey describe imsef as successful businessman.

Di young man from Swedru for di central region of Ghana dey live large wit expensive taste of furniture, cars and oda properties.

Some Ghanaians begin to question im source of wealth some years back wen e begin to display bundles of cash for social media.

For 2024, e launch im latest Lamborghini Urus wey dey cost around GHc 6.8m ($594k).

For im TV interview for June, Abu Trica claim say im no get idea about di videos ontop social media.

According to di 31-year-old, im no get social media accounts sef, so im no fit explain di videos wey dey evriwia online.

Police for Ghana arrest di 31-year-old for 11 December, months afta rumours spread say e dey for di FBI and Interpol radar.