A 41-year-old Ghanaian national has been handed an 85-month federal prison sentence in the United States after being convicted for his part in an international fraud ring that siphoned more than $100 million from American victims. Derrick Van Yeboah, who was extradited from Ghana to the United States on August 7, 2025, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud on March 5, 2026.
Fraudster Sentenced to 85 Months in Prison
The United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York, confirmed Van Yeboah's sentencing in a press release on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Beyond the custodial term, the court ordered Van Yeboah to serve two years of supervised release upon completion of his sentence and to forfeit a staggering $10,149,429.17 in proceeds tied to the scheme.
Van Yeboah was part of a criminal network that used two primary methods to defraud victims, particularly the elderly: romance scams and business email compromise schemes. The syndicate generated over $100 million, which was laundered to Ghana. Van Yeboah personally perpetrated many of the romance scams by impersonating fake romantic partners in communications with victims.
Romance Scams and Business Email Compromise Schemes
The fraudster assumed fake identities to engage in romance scams with an Ohio woman and a Delaware woman and induced them into transferring approximately $4.2 million to accounts belonging to members of the conspiracy in 2019 and 2020. He also assumed a fake identity to engage in a romance scam with a North Carolina man and deceived him into transferring approximately $123,000 to accounts belonging to his accomplices.
The operation was extensive enough to draw the attention of American federal prosecutors who pursued Van Yeboah across international borders. The alleged leader of the syndicate, Isaac Oduro Boateng, popularly known as Kofi Boat, is also expected to go on trial soon in the US after pleading not guilty to the charges he is currently facing.
International Cooperation and Extradition
Coordinated efforts between the U.S. Department of Justice and several Ghanaian agencies, including the Office of the Attorney-General, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service–INTERPOL unit, the Cyber Security Authority, and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), led to Van Yeboah's extradition. The case highlights the growing willingness of Ghanaian institutions to collaborate with foreign law enforcement on cybercrime and financial fraud prosecutions.
The case also highlights the need for international cooperation in combating cybercrime and financial fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice has been working closely with Ghanaian agencies to bring perpetrators to justice and recover stolen funds. The extradition of Van Yeboah is a significant step in this effort.
The court's decision to sentence Van Yeboah to 85 months in prison sends a strong message that cybercrime and financial fraud will not be tolerated. The U.S. Department of Justice will continue to work with international partners to bring perpetrators to justice and protect victims of cybercrime and financial fraud.
Source: Yen People
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