Ghanaian National Pleads Guilty to $10m Romance Scam in U.S. Court
By Momodu Favour
A Ghanaian national, Derrick Van Yeboah, has pleaded guilty in the United States to his role in a massive international fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable victims through online romance scams and business email compromises.
The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, who said the defendant admitted to stealing more than $10 million from victims, many of whom were elderly individuals searching for companionship online.
According to prosecutors, Van Yeboah, also known as “Van,” entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Clayton said the scheme preyed on the emotional vulnerabilities of victims who believed they were in genuine romantic relationships.
“Many New Yorkers search for companionship online, and no one deserves to have their vulnerability met with fraud and theft,” Clayton said in a statement. “Van Yeboah cruelly exploited those vulnerabilities for more than $10 million in illicit profit.”
Court documents revealed that Van Yeboah was part of a criminal organization primarily based in Ghana that orchestrated romance scams and business email compromise schemes targeting individuals and companies across the United States.
Members of the network created fake identities on online dating platforms and social media to establish relationships with victims. Once trust was built, the victims were persuaded to send money or assist in transferring funds obtained from other victims.
Prosecutors said some victims were also manipulated into helping launder money stolen from businesses through email fraud schemes.
Authorities estimate that the wider conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims before the funds were moved to West Africa.
Investigators said Van Yeboah personally carried out several of the romance scams, posing as a romantic partner in online communications and convincing victims to transfer large sums of money.
Van Yeboah, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
As part of the plea agreement, he agreed to pay restitution and forfeit $10,149,429.17, representing the amount he personally obtained from victims.
His sentencing has been scheduled for June 3, 2026.
Clayton commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and acknowledged assistance from Ghanaian authorities as well as the U.S. Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.
The case is being prosecuted by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner leading the prosecution.
U.S. authorities also warned the public to remain cautious when interacting with people online, particularly on dating platforms, advising individuals never to send money to someone they have only met online.
