Omanghana
A United States federal court has sentenced 40-year-old Ghanaian national Derrick Van Yeboah to 85 months in prison for participating in a transnational criminal network that used romance scams and business email compromise schemes to steal more than $100 million from victims across the country.
The sentence, equivalent to seven years and one month, was imposed in New York after Yeboah pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was accused of personally helping the organization obtain more than $10 million from victims.
Yeboah, who was also known as “Van,” formed part of a Ghana-based network that allegedly operated between 2016 and May 2023. The group targeted individuals and businesses in the United States before laundering the fraud proceeds and transferring portions of the money to West Africa.
Romance Scams Targeted Vulnerable Victims
According to the case against him, Yeboah personally communicated with victims while pretending to be someone interested in pursuing a romantic relationship.
Members of the network allegedly created false online identities and established relationships with people looking for companionship. Some victims, including elderly individuals, were persuaded to believe they were communicating with genuine romantic partners.
After gaining a victim’s trust, the fraudsters allegedly invented emergencies, business opportunities and other financial problems that required urgent assistance. Victims were then instructed to send money through bank transfers or other payment channels controlled by members of the organization.
These schemes frequently developed over extended periods, making the false relationships appear convincing and leaving some victims with significant financial and emotional losses.
Businesses Targeted Through Deceptive Emails
The organization also carried out business email compromise attacks against companies in the United States.
BEC schemes commonly involve criminals impersonating executives, employees, suppliers or business partners through compromised or misleading email accounts. The fraudsters then send payment instructions designed to redirect legitimate company funds into accounts under their control.
By combining romance scams with sophisticated corporate email fraud, the network was able to target both private individuals and commercial organizations. Prosecutors said its activities caused losses exceeding $100 million among dozens of victims across the United States.
Yeboah was held directly responsible for more than $10 million obtained through the organization’s fraudulent operations.
Extradited From Ghana
Following investigations involving American and Ghanaian authorities, Yeboah was extradited from Ghana to the United States in August 2025 to face prosecution.
He subsequently appeared before US District Judge Arun Subramanian and pleaded guilty in March 2026 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His guilty plea meant he accepted responsibility for participating in a coordinated plan that used electronic communications to deceive victims and obtain money unlawfully.
The court later sentenced him to 85 months in federal prison. He will also be placed under supervised release after completing his custodial sentence, allowing US authorities to monitor him for a specified period.
Court Imposes Multimillion-Dollar Financial Penalty
In addition to the prison term, the court imposed financial penalties exceeding $10.1 million through restitution and forfeiture orders.
Restitution is intended to compensate victims for losses linked to criminal conduct, while forfeiture allows authorities to recover money or property obtained through illegal activity. The amount reflects the substantial proceeds attributed to Yeboah’s participation in the fraud operation.
Recovering the stolen money could nevertheless prove difficult if the funds have already been transferred through several accounts, converted into other assets or moved across international borders.
International Investigation
The prosecution was handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case followed a collaborative investigation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation and authorities in Ghana. Such cooperation is essential in cyber-enabled financial crime cases because suspects, victims, bank accounts and digital evidence may be located in different countries.
Yeboah’s conviction highlights the increasing international effort to identify, extradite and prosecute people involved in online fraud, regardless of where they operate. It also demonstrates the severe consequences facing individuals who participate directly in scams or help criminal networks receive and transfer stolen funds.
Source: Omanghana
