Kofi Boat: Photos and Details of Shatta Wale's Godfather, 3 Others Arrested by FBI Over $100m Scam
- Shatta Wale's godfather, Kofi Boat, and three others have reportedly been indicted by the FBI in a $100 million scam
- Boat and his two accomplices have allegedly been arrested and are waiting to be extradited to the US for prosecution
- As the news trended, photos, personal information of the four suspects, and more details about the case have emerged
A group of four Ghanaian men is reportedly facing extradition to the US over alleged scams running into millions of dollars.
Three of the four suspects were said to have been apprehended and are reportedly in custody awaiting extradition.
Minister of Interior Mohammed Muntaka has signed the extradition agreement for them to be tried in New York's Southern District Court.
Source: Facebook
Among the suspects is businessman Isaac Oduro Boateng, a godfather of dancehall music superstar Shatta Wale. The others are Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah, and Patrick Kwame Asare.
The quartet is accused by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of making about $100 million through elaborate romance scams and business email compromises (BECs) dating back to at least 2016.
The video with more details on the alleged scam is below.
YEN.com.gh has uncovered photos, details of some of the suspects in the fraud saga, and more information about their indictments.
Who is indicted in FBI $100m scam?
1. Isaac Oduro Boateng
Isaac Oduro Boateng is a young businessman who is the CEO of ICE Foods Limited. A close associate of musician Shatta Wale, he is simply known in showbiz circles as Kofi Boat.
Source: Facebook
According to The New Republic newspaper, which broke the news, he is alleged to be the ringleader of the group directing affairs.
Source: Facebook
2. Inusah Ahmed:
Inusah Ahmed, known in known in social circles as Pascal, is listed as the co-ringleader who assists Kofi Boat in running the group.
Source: Instagram
3. Derrick Van Yeboah:
Simply known as Van, Derrick Van Yeboah is the CEO of Vanscope Real Estate. In 2022, he made waves online after he held a grand party to christen his newborn baby.
Source: UGC
He is described as a high-ranking member of the cartel who allegedly engaged in personal romance scams.
The video from Derrick Van Yeboah's outdooring is below:
4. Patrick Kwame Asare:
Patrick Kwame Asare is nicknamed Borgar. He is also reported to have been a high-ranking member of the group.
He is alleged to have been responsible for moving the money and making sure it reached the group without trouble.
Source: Instagram
FBI charges against Kofi Boat, 3 others
The May 2023 indictment outlines five counts against the defendants, namely, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Conspiracy to Receive Stolen Money, and Receipt of Stolen Money.
It details their operations, indicating that the fraudulent proceeds, which they termed 'clean money' since victims were tricked into voluntarily sending the funds, were channelled through US-based intermediaries operating shell companies.
These middlemen allegedly retained a commission before transferring the remaining amounts to the syndicate's leadership and other members in West Africa.
Reactions to Kofi Boat and his gang's arrest
As the saga about the arrest of Kofi Boat and his alleged accomplices unfolds, Ghanaians have expressed their opinions. Below are some of the reactions YEN.com.gh gathered online.
@michaelmensah40 said:
"My late Dad's never forgotten advice to me, which was passed on to him by his late father, 'envy no one and be content with the little you have.'"
@pepejee6389 said:
"Eeeiii 100 million USD paa people get money ankasa. But in life don't envy anyone after all the show and enjoyment he had he will spend some years in prison. I don't have but I have my freedom."
@otuteyagorhom said:
"The greed in the younger generation is mindblowing. I don't know who they live their lives to impress but learning to be content with your honest hustle is the best way of life. Fake life and trying to prove a point to people is a recipe for disaster."
Shatta Wale reacts to Kofi Boat's arrest
YEN.com.gh also reported that Shatta Wale lashed out at detractors associating him with his godfather, Kofi Boat's arrest.
In a video, the musician reacted to news of his friend's arrest on social media, stating that all of his money was clean.
New feature: Сheck out news that is picked for YOU ➡️ click on “Recommended for you” and enjoy!
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
