US authorities are pursuing a Ghanaian man identified as Patrick Kwame Asare, also known as “Borgar”, in connection with an international fraud network accused of stealing and laundering more than $100 million from victims across the United States.
Asare remains at large, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, while three other Ghanaian nationals linked to the alleged operation have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
The latest guilty pleas were entered by Isaac Oduro Boateng, 37, popularly known as “Kofi Boat”, and Inusah Ahmed, 41, who also goes by the name “Pascal”.
Boateng pleaded guilty on October 30, 2026, while Ahmed entered his plea on October 27, 2026. Both appeared before US District Judge Arun Subramanian.
Their pleas follow that of Derrick Van Yeboah, known as “Van”, who admitted to the same offence on March 5, 2026. He was subsequently sentenced to 85 months in prison.
Prosecutors say the four men were connected to an international criminal organisation based primarily in Ghana, which allegedly defrauded individuals and businesses in the United States of more than $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes.
In the romance fraud operations, members of the network allegedly created false identities to build online relationships with victims, many of whom were older adults. Once they gained their trust, the suspects persuaded them to send money or assist in transferring funds obtained from other victims.
The group also allegedly targeted businesses through fraudulent emails designed to trick employees into transferring money into bank accounts controlled by the organisation.
According to court filings, the proceeds were subsequently moved to West Africa.
Boateng and Ahmed were described by prosecutors as senior figures, referred to as “chairmen”, who helped manage and supervise the network’s activities.
Court records link approximately $12.5 million in losses to Boateng and $28.5 million to Ahmed. As part of their guilty pleas, they agreed to restitution and forfeiture payments of $12,529,213.98 and $28,574,002, respectively.
Each man pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, an offence carrying a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Their actual sentences will be determined by the court.
US Attorney Jamie McDonald said the guilty pleas demonstrated that international borders would not shield individuals accused of exploiting Americans through fraudulent schemes.
The investigation involved cooperation between several American and Ghanaian institutions, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Ghana’s Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service and the Cyber Security Authority.
Boateng and Ahmed were extradited to the United States on August 7, 2025, as part of the joint investigation.
With Van already sentenced and the other two suspects having admitted their roles in the conspiracy, Asare remains the only one of the four defendants identified by prosecutors as still at large.
