BREAKING: Ghanaian businessman Abu Trica extradited to US to face alleged fraud charges

Ghanaian socialite and businessman Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, has been extradited to the United States to face charges over his alleged involvement in an $8 million romance scam that targeted elderly Americans.

His extradition follows an indictment by US authorities, who allege that he was part of a criminal network that used artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create fake identities, build online relationships with victims, and fraudulently obtain money under false pretences.

According to GhanaWeb sources, Abu Trica was extradited in the early hours of Thursday, July 9, 2026, aboard Delta Air Lines Flight DL157.

Flight data tracked by GhanaWeb on Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft departed the Accra International Airport in Accra at 9:03 a.m, three minutes behind its scheduled departure time of 9:00 a.m. The flight is expected to arrive at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York at approximately 4:00 p.m. local time.

Abu Trica reportedly rushed to hospital; lawyer denied access

On July 2, 2026, the High Court in Accra ordered that he be surrendered to US authorities to face allegations of his involvement in a romance fraud scheme.

Before his extradition, Abu Trica's lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, claimed he had been denied access to his client and had been informed that Abu Trica had fallen ill and was rushed to the Police Hospital.

Providing an update on his Facebook page on July 8, 2026, Barker-Vormawor said his legal team had been unable to establish Abu Trica's whereabouts for more than a week and warned that they would seek a writ of habeas corpus if access continued to be denied.

"It has been over a week; we haven’t been allowed access to Abu Trica as lawyers. In fact, we have no idea where he is being held, and Interpol, which first had custody of him, says they don’t have him. We will be filing a habeas corpus application by tomorrow if the Republic continues to deny him something as basic as his right to counsel," he wrote.

Court dismisses Abu Trica's emergency application to halt US extradition

Abu Trica had sought to stop his extradition through a series of legal applications, but the High Court in Accra dismissed his bid.

His extradition was carried out despite a pending application seeking to stay the extradition process. The motion is scheduled to be heard on July 10, 2026, with both parties expected to appear before the court.

See details of the flight below:

MAG

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