Popular Ghanaian socialite wey dey face $8m romance scam for US sue FBI and odas for alleged abuse

Popular socialite for Ghana Frederick Kumi aka Abu Trica wey dey face romance scam charges for di US, don sue di FBI, Ghana attorney general and interior ministry for alleged abuse of human rights wen dem arrest am for December 2025.

Abu Trica also add Ghana Narcotic Control Commission (Narcoc), Economic and Organised Crime Office (Eoco) to di suit.

Di 31-year-old dey allege torture, unlawful detention and abuse of im human rights.

According to di US Attorney Office, Abu Trica be part of one criminal network wey dey target older victims through romance scams across di US since 2023.

US authorities say e bin allegedly defraud victims of up to $8m.

According to di indictment, "di perpetrators of dis romance scam use artificial intelligence software to create fake identity and form personal relationships wit victims."

"Dis pipo get di trust of dia victims wey dem collect dia money and oda valuables – dem dey target di pipo through social media and oda dating platforms under false pretences," di US Attorney Office statement tok.

Afta dem get di trust of dia victims, dem now go ask dem for money or valuables say dem dey wan use for medical bills, travel expenses or oda investment opportunities.

Wit dis misrepresentations, di victims send money and oda valuables.

Di indictment also allege say "afta di victims transfer di money, Abu Trica work wit im network to spread di money from Ohio and across di US to oda associates for Ghana and oda locations.

Authorities re-arrest Abu Trica afta High Court discharge am

On 26 January 2026, authorities for di Narcotics Control Commission re-arrest Abu Trica afta di High Court discharge am since di state discontinue di case against im two friends – di co-accused.

Lawyers for Abu Trica tok for court say since di charge against dia client for di district court be conspiracy, to withdraw di case against di co-accused pipo mean say dia client get no case to answer.

Na so di district court uphold di argument wey dem discharge all di three accused pipo - including Abu Trica.

But dem gbab am for di premises of di court, minutes afta e comot di courtroom.

Di Narcotics Control Commission say dem go slap fresh charges on di 31-year-old wey dey face extradition to di US to face justice.

Lawyer for Abu Trica confam to journalists afta di court hearing say dem formally discharge all di three pipo afta di state withdraw di charges.

But e explain say Narcotics Control Commission (Nacoc) bin arrest dem again wey dem carry dem go dia headquarters.

Abu Trica dey demand GHc 10m ($909K) for damages wey e want make di court stop im extradition to di US

Among oda tins, Abu Trica say FBI and oda security officers allegedly torture am wen dem storm im house to arrest am.

Inside court document, Abu Trica allege say security officers put im and im two friends for handcuffs wey dem no give dem food, water and oda basic tins wen dem arrest am.

E also tok say officers interrogate am witout im lawyers wen dem arrest am wey dem intimidate am.

Lawyers say to prevent di 31-year-old from im lawyer during di arrest and interrogation dey amount to abuse of im rights.

Dem also allege for court documents say foreign agents wit di FBI bin interrogate am witout di presence of im lawyer - wey dem collect im password, statement, signature and electronic access credential from di accused pesin.

Abu Trica tok di court say di fact say security officers bin search im house for im absence violate im rights.

Dem also want make di court declare say to film and publish fotos of Abu Trica afta im arrest, dey against im fundamental rights, especially wen dem describe am as "notorious cyber-criminal".

Abu Trica explain say di luxury cars and oda tins dem find for im property wey dem seize dem, no be for am.

E tok di court for di documents say di Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz and cyber truck and odas wey dem seize for im house, be for im clients; dem park di cars for im house say make e look afta dem.

As a result, Abut Trica want make di court stop im extradition process and put injunction for di parties so dem no go deport, remove, transfer or arrest am again

Im also want make dem pay am 10 million cedis ($909K) for damages for di alleged human right abuse during and afta di arrest.

E say di way dem seize im phones, computer and oda tins make am dey traumatised since im arrest.