The Ghana Voice,
Accra, Ghana
FBI indicts ‘Abu Trica’ in multi-million dollar elderly romance scam
The Ghana Voice 12-12-2025A Ghanaian man popularly known on Snapchat as “Abu Trica”, who gained notoriety for flaunting bundles of cash as well as luxury cars and houses on the platform, has been indicted in the United States for allegedly orchestrating a romance fraud scheme that stole more than eight million dollars from elderly Americans.
A recently unsealed indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio names the suspect as Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica.
The 31-year-old from Swedru was arrested in Ghana on Thursday, December 11, 2025, following a joint operation between Ghanaian and U.S. law enforcement agencies.
According to prosecutors, Kumi was part of a criminal network that, since 2023, targeted elderly Americans through sophisticated romance scams. The indictment states that the group used Artificial Intelligence tools to create convincing fake identities on social media and online dating platforms, enabling them to form emotionally intimate long-distance relationships with their victims.
U.S. authorities said the perpetrators would engage victims in frequent and affectionate conversations by phone, email and messaging apps to build trust. Once the victims became emotionally committed, they were deceived into sending money or valuables under false pretences, including fabricated medical emergencies, supposed travel expenses or fake investment opportunities.
The indictment alleges that after funds were sent, Kumi coordinated with associates in Ohio and across the United States to receive and redistribute the money to co-conspirators in Ghana and other countries. Prosecutors say the operation was structured to hide its origins and frustrate attempts to trace the proceeds of the fraud.
Kumi has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and a forfeiture specification. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. officials noted that sentencing would depend on several factors, including his role in the scheme and his criminal history, if any.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that Kumi is entitled to a fair trial. Prosecutors must prove their case beyond reasonable doubt before any conviction can be secured.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Cleveland Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian McDonough. The United States acknowledged extensive collaboration from Ghana’s Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission, the National Intelligence Bureau, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra.
The case forms part of the Elder Justice Initiative under the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017, which targets scams, fraud and financial exploitation directed at older Americans. The U.S. Department of Justice urged the public to report suspected elder financial abuse through its designated online platforms.
Source: graphiconline