In a dramatic courtroom moment in New York, 40-year-old Ghanaian national Derrick Van Yeboah admitted to his role in a sweeping online fraud operation that stole over $100 million from victims in the United States.
The guilty plea, entered before Judge Arun Subramanian at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, marks a significant development in the fight against international cybercrime.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Van Yeboah’s plea on Friday, March 6, revealing the extent of his involvement in a sophisticated network that orchestrated romance scams and business email compromise attacks. The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who underscored the devastating impact on victims, many of whom were elderly men and women searching for companionship online.
“Derrick Van Yeboah pled guilty today to a massive criminal scheme targeting elderly men and women in online romance scams,” Clayton stated. “Many New Yorkers search for companionship online, and no one deserves to have their vulnerability met with fraud and theft. Van Yeboah cruelly exploited those vulnerabilities for over $10 million in illicit profit.”
According to court documents, Van Yeboah was part of a Ghana-based criminal organisation that preyed on individuals and companies across the United States. Victims were lured into fake romantic relationships online, with conspirators using fictitious identities to gain trust before persuading targets to send money or help launder illicit funds. The group also deceived businesses through business email compromise, tricking them into transferring funds to accounts controlled by the network.
Authorities say the criminal enterprise stole and laundered more than $100 million, with much of the proceeds ending up in West Africa. Van Yeboah himself was responsible for over $10 million in losses, personally carrying out several romance scams by impersonating fake partners during online communications.
Under U.S. law, conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Van Yeboah has agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture totaling $10,149,429.17. His sentencing is scheduled for June 3, 2026.
Jay Clayton praised the efforts of the FBI and acknowledged the support of authorities in Ghana and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in bringing the case to justice. As the legal process moves forward, the case stands as a stark warning against the dangers of online scams and the international reach of cybercriminal networks.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com