Six Ghanaians busted in US for US$50 million cyber fraud

Six US-based Ghanaians have been arrested by the US authorities for being connected with a money laundering and fraud conspiracy scheme.

The six allegedly laundered over US$50 million for COVID-19 relief.

They are members of a Ghana-based criminal enterprise and laundered money from fraud schemes including romance scams, which targeted the elderly; fraudulent small business loans and email compromises against businesses and individuals located across the US.

The suspects include Faisal Ali, aka Clarence Graveley, 34; Sadick Edusei Kissi, Farouk Appiedu, 35; Celvin Freeman, 47; Fred Asante, 35; and Lord Aning, 28; a statement by the United States Department for Justice revealed.

According to the statement, the suspects, since the year 2013, have been executing frauds.

It continued further that four out of the six, collectively controlled over 45 banks with deposits of approximately USD55 million.

They also opened bank accounts using names of companies they formed and claimed to be dealing in food exports and imports, automobile sales and freight trucking and shipping.

However, once the 4 received the monies in their bank accounts, they laundered the proceeds by purchasing food products and automobiles to be shipped to Ghana and other places.

Three out of the 6 suspects have also been charged with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money and one count of receipt of stolen money.

Also, each one of the 6 has been charged with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money and one count of receipt of stolen money.

One of the suspects, Kissi, has further been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering while Ali has additionally been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in a criminal complaint.