A Ghanaian national has pleaded guilty in the United States for his role in a large international fraud network that used online romance scams and business email compromise schemes to steal millions of dollars from victims.

The suspect, Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as “Van,” admitted before a United States District Court in New York that he participated in a criminal operation that targeted vulnerable individuals through fraudulent online relationships.

The guilty plea was announced on March 5, 2026, by Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

“Derrick Van Yeboah pled guilty today to a massive criminal scheme targeting elderly men and women in online romance scams,” Clayton said.

He noted that many victims had turned to online platforms in search of companionship but instead became targets of fraud.
“Many New Yorkers search for companionship online, and no one deserves to have their vulnerability met with fraud and theft. Van Yeboah cruelly exploited those vulnerabilities for over $10 million in illicit profit.”

According to prosecutors, Van Yeboah was part of a criminal organisation primarily based in Ghana that carried out romance scams and business email compromise operations against individuals and businesses across the United States.

Investigators said members of the group created fake online identities and used them to build relationships with victims, convincing them they were involved in genuine romantic partnerships.

Once trust had been established, the victims were persuaded to send money or help transfer funds obtained from other victims, unknowingly assisting the criminal network.

Authorities added that the operation also targeted businesses, where fraudsters gained access to or impersonated corporate email accounts and tricked companies into transferring large sums of money to accounts controlled by the group.

Prosecutors said the wider conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims, with proceeds later transferred to West Africa.

Van Yeboah himself carried out many of the romance scams by posing as fictitious romantic partners in online communications, and investigators say he is personally responsible for more than $10 million obtained through the scheme.

The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offence that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison under US law.

He has also agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture totalling $10,149,429.17. However, prosecutors noted that the maximum penalty is only a guideline and that the final sentence will be determined by the court.

Van Yeboah is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2026, by Arun Subramanian, a judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with support from authorities in Ghana and the United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs.

Prosecution is being led by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the US Attorney’s Office, with Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner serving as Assistant US Attorneys on the case.