A massive Ghana-based cybercrime syndicate accused of stealing over $100 million through romance scams and Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes has been dismantled following a joint operation by the FBI and Interpol.

At the center of the bust is Isaac Kofi Oduro Boateng, also known as "Kofi Boat", a well-known figure in East Legon with ties to Ghanaian dancehall artiste Shatta Wale.

Kofi Boat was arrested along with two other suspects — Inusah Ahmed and Derrick Van Yeboah — in Accra on June 13, 2025, after a formal extradition request from the United States. A fourth suspect, Patrick Kwame Asare, remains at large.

The arrests stem from a 2023 U.S. indictment charging the individuals with wire fraud and money laundering. Ghana’s Ministry of the Interior, acting on a request from the U.S. Embassy, issued warrants for the suspects in March 2025.

They were remanded by an Accra court on June 16, with extradition proceedings now underway.

Authorities say the cybercriminal group operated from Ghana between 2016 and 2023, using spoofed emails, forged documents, and false identities to impersonate executives and deceive victims—ranging from one company to multiple elderly individuals—into wiring funds under false pretenses.

The romance scams involved fabricated online relationships to exploit emotional trust, often convincing victims to send money for fake emergencies or investment opportunities.

The operation highlights the intensifying global crackdown on transnational cybercrime and comes amid rising scrutiny of sudden wealth in Ghana’s elite circles.

The arrests follow closely on the heels of Ghanaian influencer Hajia4Real’s release from U.S. custody in May 2025 for her alleged role in a separate romance fraud case.

The FBI continues to lead investigations, with U.S. authorities pushing for swift extradition to bring the suspects to trial.