A Ghanaian man has admitted his role in an international fraud ring that used online romance scams and business email compromises to steal millions of dollars from victims in the United States.
Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as “Van,” appeared before a United States District Court in New York and pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme targeting vulnerable individuals, many of them elderly, through fake online relationships.
The guilty plea was announced on Thursday, March 5, 2026, by Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
“Derrick Van Yeboah pled guilty today to a massive criminal scheme targeting elderly men and women in online romance scams,” Clayton said. “Many New Yorkers turn to online platforms seeking companionship, and no one deserves to have that trust exploited for fraud and theft. Van Yeboah cruelly exploited their vulnerability, generating over $10 million in illicit profit.”
According to prosecutors, Van Yeboah was part of a criminal organisation primarily based in Ghana, which carried out both romance scams and business email compromise operations targeting individuals and companies across the US.
Members of the network created fake online identities, building relationships with victims to gain trust. Once trust was established, the fraudsters persuaded victims to transfer money or assist in moving funds obtained from others. The scheme also targeted businesses, tricking them through compromised email accounts into sending large sums to accounts controlled by the criminal group.
In total, prosecutors said the network stole and laundered over $100 million from dozens of victims, with proceeds later transferred to West Africa. Van Yeboah is personally responsible for more than $10 million obtained through the romance scam operations.
The 40-year-old has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison under US law. He has also agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture of $10,149,429.17.
US authorities emphasised that the maximum sentence is statutory and that the final punishment will be determined by the presiding judge. Van Yeboah is scheduled to be sentenced by US District Judge Arun Subramanian on June 3, 2026.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Ghanaian authorities and the US Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. The case is being prosecuted by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit of the US Attorney’s Office, with Assistant US Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner leading the prosecution.