More than 80 elderly American women, many of them widows and divorcees searching for companionship online, were allegedly manipulated into fake romantic relationships and defrauded of more than $8 million in a sophisticated scam that U.S. prosecutors say relied on artificial intelligence and false identities.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Ghanaian national Frederick Kumi, also known as Abu Trica, has been extradited from Ghana to the United States to face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that between April 2023 and November 2025, Kumi and his co-defendant, Daniel Yussif, led a criminal network that deliberately targeted elderly women on online dating platforms and social media.
Investigators say the women were approached by individuals posing as attractive female characters using fictitious identities enhanced with AI-driven video technology and other digital tools to make the online personas appear authentic.
Authorities allege that after gaining the victims’ trust over weeks and sometimes months, members of the network convinced the women they were involved in genuine romantic relationships before requesting financial assistance for fabricated emergencies, including fictitious gold and diamond inheritances.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that the victims transferred millions of dollars into bank accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. The funds were then allegedly moved through shell companies, money mules in Ghana and members of the Ghanaian immigrant community in the United States to disguise their origin.
Prosecutors estimate that the alleged operation defrauded more than 80 victims of over $8 million.
Investigators further allege that proceeds from the scheme financed luxury purchases, including a mansion in Ghana, a Lamborghini, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Mercedes-Benz and a BMW. The assets have since been seized by law enforcement.
Kumi was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, before being extradited to the United States on July 9, 2026. He now faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, while prosecutors are seeking the forfeiture of assets they allege were acquired with proceeds of the fraud.
If convicted, Kumi faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count. The charges remain allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.If you want an even more emotional, human-interest angle, the headline could be: “Lonely Hearts, Empty Bank Accounts: How More Than 80 Elderly Women Were Allegedly Duped in an $8 Million AI Romance Scam.”
