A Ghanaian by name Opoku Agyemang has reportedly been arrested in the United Kingdom (UK) over an alleged £5 million 'romance' fraud and trade-based money laundering.
According to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) – an investigative body in Ghana – Mr Agyemang is one of three suspects who have been accused of defrauding UK nationals through what EOCO and the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom (NCA-UK) termed 'romance scam' and trade-based money laundering.
The two other suspects are Moro Musah and Sabina Adzre, who allegedly operate with Opoku Agyeman.
Addressing the media yesterday, a Deputy Executive Director of EOCO in-charge of Operations, Nana Antwi, said investigations are still ongoing.
“This is a complex organized financial crime,” EOCO observed.
In local parlance, the deal is called 'sakawa' and a lot of unemployed scammers use dubious means to defraud their victims through marriage proposals.
According to Nana Antwi, EOCO, the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Narcotic Control Board (NACOB) and the NCA-UK embarked on a special exercise code-named “Operation Grateful” into large-scale romance scam and the resultant trade-based money laundering with the exploitation of victims' details carried out in and outside Ghana.
He indicated, “Following an investigation into trade-based money laundering in UK and Ghana, the National Crime Agency in UK commenced an investigation into the money laundering and romance fraud.”
So far, he said, the investigations had uncovered that over 16 persons had fallen victim to this fraud from which £5 million has been identified as stolen from victims in the UK.
This amount, he said, had been transferred from UK and found their way through certain accounts in some banks in Ghana.
“Currently, those monies have been withdrawn from the accounts,” he said, adding, “Romance scam is a particular dangerous and vicious form of mass market fraud because it targets not only the victims' assets, but also abuses them emotionally.
“It leaves the victim embarrassed, traumatized and financially ruined for life,” he added.
“Trade-Based Money Laundering is exploiting legitimate businesses to launder proceeds of crime. Within this investigation, the use of second-hand clothing/textile business has been applied to launder the proceeds of the identified romance fraud,” Nana Antwi revealed.
“The Ghanaian security agencies were alerted by our counterparts in the UK and we, in Ghana, also commenced investigations into this fraud about a year ago,” he stated.
BY Melvin Tarlue
Akufo-Addo commissions Phase II of Kaleo solar power plant
NDC panics over Bawumia’s visit to Pope Francis
EC blasts Mahama over “false” claims on recruitment of Returning Officers
Lands Minister gives ultimatum to Future Global Resources to revamp Prestea/Bogo...
Wa Naa appeals to Akufo-Addo to audit state lands in Wa
Prof Opoku-Agyemang misunderstood Bawumia’s ‘driver mate’ analogy – Miracles Abo...
EU confident Ghana will not sign Anti-LGBTQI Bill
Suspend implementation of Planting for Food and Jobs for 2024 - Stakeholders
Tema West Municipal Assembly gets Ghana's First Female Aircraft Marshaller as ne...
Dumsor is affecting us double, release timetable – Disability Federation to ECG
