Ghanaian Man Pleads Guilty to Role in $100 Million Romance Scam Scheme Targeting U.S. Victims

Derrick Van Yeboah, a 40-year-old Ghanaian national known as “Van,” pleaded guilty to participating in a criminal scheme that stole millions of dollars from victims through online romance scams. The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. Van Yeboah admitted guilt to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Van Yeboah was a member of an international criminal organization primarily based in Ghana that carried out romance scams and business email compromise schemes targeting individuals and businesses across the United States. Authorities said the operation defrauded victims of more than $100 million.

Prosecutors said many victims were older men and women who believed they were involved in genuine romantic relationships online. Members of the organization used fake identities to communicate with victims and build trust. After gaining that trust, the conspirators persuaded victims to send money to the group or convinced them to assist in laundering funds obtained from other victims.

The criminal network also conducted business email compromise schemes designed to deceive companies into wiring funds to accounts controlled by the organization. In total, prosecutors said the conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims. After the money was obtained, the proceeds were laundered to West Africa.

Authorities said Van Yeboah personally carried out numerous romance scams by posing as fictitious romantic partners in communications with victims. He has been held responsible for more than $10 million that he obtained through these fraudulent relationships.

Announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said the scheme targeted vulnerable people seeking companionship online. He noted that many individuals look for relationships on the internet and warned that criminals often exploit that trust. Clayton said Van Yeboah used those vulnerabilities to generate more than $10 million in illicit profit and urged people to remain cautious when interacting with strangers online, especially on dating platforms.

Van Yeboah pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison under federal law. As part of his plea agreement, he also agreed to make restitution and pay forfeiture totaling $10,149,429.17.

The maximum potential sentence is set by Congress and is provided for informational purposes. Any final sentence will be determined by the judge. Van Yeboah is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Arun Subramanian on June 3, 2026.

Clayton praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked authorities in Ghana and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner are handling the prosecution.