Ari Mackey: American TikToker Addresses Backlash Over Ghana Police Story
- American TikToker Ari Mackey sparked intense debate after claiming that masked men, who she believed were Ghana police officers, kidnapped and extorted her on December 6, 2025
- The Ghana Police Service responded to her claims in a December 9 statement, saying Mackey left the country, deleted her video, and refused to cooperate with its investigation
- The American swiftly replied to the statement, insisting she had already provided the information requested, but would no longer engage the issue due to alleged threats to her life
- In an interview with YEN.com.gh, Ghanaian journalist Nana Yaw Adjapong addressed the controversy over Ari Mackey's claims
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Arianna Naomi Mackey, the American TikToker who claimed to have been kidnapped and robbed by Ghana Police officers, has responded to backlash over her claims.
Source: TikTok
The popular US content creator, known as Ari Mackey on TikTok, sparked debate on social media after claiming in a December 7 video that she endured an unpleasant experience at the hands of people she believed to be Ghana police service officers.
She claimed that she and a couple of friends were stopped in an Uber by officers with masks on in a patrol vehicle that had its licence plates covered.
Ari Mackey alleged that the officers also wore no name tags to further obscure their identity and said they had decided to extort money from them once they realised she was foreign.
“They heard my accent, and they decided they were going to take us. They checked our bags and our bodies, and when they looked in my bag and found I had cash, they decided I needed to get in the car. They told me to get in the car. I tried to ask why and if there was anything else we could do to handle this, but they said no. They got mad every time I tried to ask a question.”
Mackey said the officers took her cash, phones, and cameras and also placed them in their vehicle for a ride during which they took her to an ATM to withdraw more cash for them.
Ghana Police responds to Ari Mackey's claims
In a statement released on December 9, 2025, the Ghana Police Service addressed the claims of the American TikToker.
The statement said that Mackey left Ghana in the aftermath of her video and has refused to cooperate with investigators.
She reportedly deleted the video and failed to provide any basic facts to allow for further investigation, including the names of her Ghanaian companions or any information about the alleged officers involved.
“She indicated to police that she was out of the country and she could not get the names of the alleged officers nor the number plate of the vehicle they were using,” the statement said.
The statement added that Mackey blocked officers as they continued to make further attempts to glean more information from her.
The Facebook post with the statement is below.
Journalist addresses Ari Mackey vs Ghana Police
In an interview with YEN.com.gh, Germany-based Ghanaian journalist Nana Yaw Adjapong addressed the controversy over Ari Mackey's claims.
"I am not one to defend the Ghana Police. Their reputation as one of the most corrupt institutions in Ghana is well-known. However, the allegations made by the American TikToker Ari Mackey appear to be an exception. She claims that police officers took her cash, phones, and cameras, and forced her to withdraw money from an ATM. While the police are certainly not above criticism, the inconsistencies in her story raise serious doubts. Her account has changed, and key details do not align.
"More concerning is the fact that after making these claims public, she refused to cooperate with the police when they reached out to her and reportedly blocked them. She has also switched her TikTok account from public to private, which further weakens her position. With no supporting evidence, conflicting versions of events, and clear avoidance of the authorities, her story becomes difficult to accept. This is not about defending the police, but about pointing out that her story does not add up," he said.
Ari Mackey responds to Ghana Police
Following the backlash over her video and her refusal to cooperate with investigators, Ari Mackey has opened up in an email shared with Gossips24 TV.
In her response, she said that she had provided all the information that the police were asking for, but that she was not going to address the issue any longer due to threats against her life.
The Facebook post of Ari Mackey’s response is below.
Source: TikTok
American woman relocates to Ghana
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that an American lady quit her job in the United States of America (USA) to relocate to Ghana.
In a video, the woman explained her decision and said she was more fulfilled running a shea butter business in the African country.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
