Ghanaian influencer extradited to US over $8m scam targeting elderly Americans

Ghanaian influencer extradited to US over $8m scam targeting elderly AmericansImage source, ABUTRICA/INSTAGRAMImage caption, Abu Trica raised suspicions after flaunting cars, cash and luxury properties onlineByThomas NaadiBBC Africa, Reporting fromAccraPublished30 minutes agoA Ghanaian social media influencer known as Abu Trica, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, has been extradited to the US to face trial for allegedly running a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of over $8m (£5.9m).He denies all the charges against him.Prosecutors said he used AI tools to create fake online identities, targeting victims through social media and dating sites, earning their trust then extorting their money.Kumi was flown to the US on Thursday and faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.Kumi's lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, told the BBC he went to court on Thursday to stop the extradition before learning a short while later that Kumi had in fact already been extradited on board a Delta Airlines flight.Barker-Vormawor accuses Ghana's government of sidestepping "judicial oversight" by allegedly not waiting for the court's verdict, and says their decision to extradite Kumi "raises profound constitutional questions".The Ghanaian government has yet to comment.Kumi had long flaunted luxury items online to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers.This raised suspicions about the sources of his income.US prosecutors say victims were allegedly targeted through social media and online dating platforms, lured in via frequent and intimate conversations.This would escalate to "requests for money or valuables under false pretences - such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses or investment opportunities". The monies, or valuables, were then directed to co-conspirators posing as third parties. Kumi allegedly distributed the money to his associates in the US and in Ghana.Kumi, w...