Ari Mackey: American TikToker Addresses Backlash Over Ghana Police Story

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 provide basic details needed for the investigation
  • The American swiftly replied to the Ghana Police statement, insisting she had already provided the information requested, but would no longer engage the issue due to alleged threats to her life

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.

Ari Mackey, American TikToker, TikToker, Ghana police, American tourist Ghana, Detty December
American content creator Ari Mackey responds to backlash after claiming that she was abducted by masked Ghana police officers. Image credit: @arimackey
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.

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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.

She said the officers 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.

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Police probing alleged kidnapping, extortion of US woman in Ghana for Detty December

Ghana Police responds to Ari Mackey

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.

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.

Read also

American TikToker sparks debate after claiming Ghana Police officers abducted her and took personal items

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: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Godwin Nii Armah Okine avatar

Godwin Nii Armah Okine (Entertainment Editor) Godwin Nii Armah Okine has over a decade of experience in online content creation. He joined YEN.com.gh as an Entertainment Editor in May 2025. Godwin graduated from the Ghana Institute of Journalism with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies in 2014. He worked at GhanaCelebrities.Com between 2014-2025 as an Entertainment and later, Managing Editor. Godwin covered the 2014 Africa Youth Games in Gaborone as a student journalist for the African Olympic Committee (ANOCA) and the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). Contact godwnii-armah.okine@yen.com.gh