Ghanaian sought in rip-off of elderly doctor

Authorities: Senior lost $500,000

A judge issued a $1 million warrant Friday for the arrest of a Ghana man who is charged with defrauding a Lake Forest (IL, USA) senior citizen out of more than $500,000.


Alhaji A. Yakubu, 48, is believed by law enforcement authorities to be in Ghana, although he has been known to regularly travel back-and-forth from Africa to Lake Forest.


Investigators from the Lake Forest Police Department and the Lake County State's Attorney's office allege Yakubu gained the confidence of the 69-year-old retired doctor, who is partly debilitated from a stroke.


Yakubu allegedly convinced the retiree to give him money to "invest" in a "joint business" in Africa. Yakubu allegedly transferred some cash directly into his personal accounts in Africa. He also allegedly bought at least two cars, a Mercedes and a Toyota 4-Runner, as well as a mink coat, which he had shipped to Africa.


The scam has allegedly been ongoing for approximately two years. Lake Forest police began investigating the case after the man's sons became aware of items missing from his house.

Yakubu is charged with one count of financial exploitation of the elderly. The Class One offense, upon conviction, carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, but is also probationable.


Yakubu's three adult and two juvenile children are still residing in the doctor's house, but police say the doctor's family is replacing them with other care-givers.


None of Yakubu's children are charged with offenses.


"It is unbelievable that somebody would take advantage of a person like this," said Det. Nada Sydow of the Lake Forest Police Department. She worked on the investigation, along with investigator Louis Archbold of the state's attorney's office.