Six Ghanaians busted in US for US$50 million cyber fraud
The six allegedly laundered over US$50 million for COVID-19 relief.
They are members of a Ghana-based criminal enterprise and
laundered money from fraud schemes including romance scams, which targeted the
elderly; fraudulent small business loans and email compromises against businesses
and individuals located across the US.
The suspects include Faisal Ali, aka Clarence Graveley, 34;
Sadick Edusei Kissi, Farouk Appiedu, 35; Celvin Freeman, 47; Fred Asante, 35;
and Lord Aning, 28; a statement by the United States Department for Justice
revealed.
According to the statement, the suspects, since the year
2013, have been executing frauds.
It continued further that four out of the six, collectively
controlled over 45 banks with deposits of approximately USD55 million.
They also opened bank accounts using names of companies they
formed and claimed to be dealing in food exports and imports, automobile sales
and freight trucking and shipping.
However, once the 4 received the monies in their bank
accounts, they laundered the proceeds by purchasing food products and
automobiles to be shipped to Ghana and other places.
Three out of the 6 suspects have also been charged with one
count of conspiracy to receive stolen money and one count of receipt of stolen
money.
Also, each one of the 6 has been charged with one count of
conspiracy to receive stolen money and one count of receipt of stolen money.
One of the suspects, Kissi, has further been charged with
one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to
commit money laundering while Ali has additionally been charged with one count
of conspiracy to commit money laundering in a criminal complaint.
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