US authorities have convicted a North Dakota resident for participating in a Ghana-based conspiracy involving romance fraud.
During 2015-20, a Ghana-based criminal enterprise defrauded various US-based individuals and businesses of over a million dollars through romance scams. The criminals used fake identities to connect with vulnerable older men and women through email, text messaging, or online dating websites. Further, the criminals convinced the victims that they were romantically interested in them. After gaining their victims’ trust, the criminals coerced the victims into transferring money to bank accounts controlled by the enterprise.
The convict in this case received fraud proceeds in personal bank accounts through direct wire or cash deliveries. He would then retain a commission and then withdraw and launder the criminal proceeds to other members of the criminal enterprise, who then forwarded the funds to Ghana.
Source: US Department of Justice
