A sophisticated fraud syndicate operating across multiple regions and targeting high-profile Ghanaians has been exposed following the arrest and arraignment of three brothers alleged to be behind a series of impersonation and mobile money scams.
The group’s alleged ringleader, Nurudeen Abdul Ganew, 40, is currently standing trial at the Accra Circuit Court after reportedly impersonating Professor Joshua Alabi, a leading figure in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), in a high-stakes con that defrauded a Council of State member of GHS60,000.
Ganew and his brothers, Nurudeen Rashid and Nurudeen Gafaru, were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime, impersonation, and defrauding by false pretences. All three have pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of GHS150,000 with three sureties, one of which must be justified. They are expected to reappear in court on July 21, 2025.
Prosecutors say the syndicate’s operations spanned Wa, Wenchi, Accra, Koforidua, Sunyani, Techiman, and other major towns. Their strategy: impersonate influential public figures—particularly politicians—and bait well-connected individuals and institutions with bogus business offers.
The court heard that on March 3, 2025, Ganew presented himself to Council of State member Hakeem Addae as Professor Joshua Alabi, claiming to have access to auctioned government vehicles. He allegedly convinced the victim to part with GHS60,000 to secure a Toyota Land Cruiser and ten trucks supposedly on auction.
His arrest in Wa led to the discovery of multiple identity cards, pen drives, mobile phones, and GHS14,896 in cash. A follow-up operation on July 2, 2025, led to the arrest of Rashid and Gafaru at Subinso, a suburb of Wenchi. At their residence, officers from the National Signals Bureau retrieved:
-
Over 12 mobile phones
-
13 SIM cards (MTN and Telecel)
-
A digital database containing contact details of political party constituency executives across all 16 regions of Ghana
-
Details of mobile money transactions, proceeds, and syndicate targets
Prosecutors described the network as highly organised, with each brother playing a distinct role. Ganew acted as the primary impersonator who contacted victims, while Rashid and Gafaru coordinated the withdrawal and distribution of funds through mobile money merchants.
Further investigations revealed that the trio specifically targeted chiefs, queen mothers, politicians, and corporate figures, making use of detailed personal information and digital tools to convince and deceive their victims.
Security experts say the case signals a worrying trend in tech-enabled impersonation scams. A law enforcement official close to the investigation said, “This wasn’t random fraud. These suspects were strategic and used political networks and technology to operate like a corporate entity.”
The investigation is ongoing, and more victims may be identified as police examine the syndicate’s databases and communication records.
