Two Ghanaian nationals, Isaac Oduro Boateng, also known as "Kofi Boat," 37, and Inusah Ahmed, also known as "Pascal," 41, have pleaded guilty to their roles in a massive cyber fraud syndicate that stole more than $100 million from victims across the United States. They entered their pleas before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in the Southern District of New York. Boateng pleaded guilty on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while Ahmed entered his plea on October 27, 2026.
Both defendants admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. According to U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald, "These guilty pleas demonstrate that geographic borders will not shield those who exploit Americans from facing justice in our courts." The defendants were described by United States prosecutors as "chairmen" of an international criminal organisation.
The cyber fraud syndicate, primarily based in Ghana, committed romance scams and business email compromises against individuals and businesses across the United States. Many of the conspiracy’s victims were vulnerable older men and women who were tricked into believing they were in online romantic relationships with persons who were, in fact, fake identities assumed by members of the conspiracy.
Once trust was established, the victims were deceived into sending money to the enterprise or into helping them launder funds from other victims. The conspirators also used business email compromise schemes to induce businesses to wire funds, with the proceeds subsequently laundered to West Africa. As "chairmen" of the conspiracy, Boateng and Ahmed played a role in managing and supervising its activity.
Boateng is being held responsible for approximately $12.5 million in victim loss, while Ahmed is responsible for approximately $28.5 million. As part of their pleas, Boateng agreed to make restitution and pay forfeiture, both in the amount of $12,529,213.98, while Ahmed agreed to restitution and forfeiture of $28,574,002.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner in charge of the prosecution. U.S. Attorney McDonald thanked various law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ghana Attorney General’s Office, and the Ghana Police Service, for their role in securing the August 7, 2025, extraditions of Boateng and Ahmed.
The guilty pleas and subsequent sentencing of co-defendants demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to combat cybercrime and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation. Codefendant Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as "Van," was sentenced to 85 months in prison, while codefendant Patrick Kwame Asare, also known as "Borgar," remains at large.
Key points
- The cyber fraud syndicate stole more than $100 million from victims across the United States through romance scams and business email compromises.
- Two Ghanaian nationals, Isaac Oduro Boateng and Inusah Ahmed, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the syndicate and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
- The case highlights the importance of international cooperation in combating cybercrime and protecting vulnerable individuals from exploitation.
