Abu Trica: Popular Swedru Big Boy Arrested in Joint FBI Operation
- Popular Swedru businessman and online sensation Abu Trica has reportedly been arrested following a joint FBI and Ghana police operation
- A US Justice Department statement said the 'big boy' was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, following an investigation led by the FBI Cleveland Division
- An unsealed indictment with details of the case accused the Ghanaian of being part of a romance scam syndicate that defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8m
Popular Swedru-based Ghanaian businessman and online big boy, Abu Trica, has reportedly been arrested by US authorities.
Source: Facebook
Abu Trica, whose real name is either Frederick Kumi or Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, according to a sealed US Justice Department indictment, was arrested on Thursday, December 11, 2025, in Ghana.
He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
In a statement, the Justice Department alleged that the businessman, known for his lavish displays of wealth and ownership of an extravagant number of luxury cars, was part of a criminal network that had targeted elderly victims in the United States in romance fraud schemes. The syndicate had reportedly been operating since 2023 and defrauded their victims out of more than $8m.
"According to the indictment, perpetrators of this romance scam used Artificial Intelligence software to assume false identities and form close personal relationships with victims. They gained victims’ trust to obtain money and valuables, often targeting individuals through social media and online dating platforms under false pretenses," the Justice Department statement said.
"Victims were often elderly and engaged in romantic but physically distant relationships with perpetrators."
It added that after gaining the trust of victims, they requested money for urgent needs, including medical needs, travel expenses, or investment opportunities.
Abu Trica allegedly was part of distributing the alleged criminal proceedings once gained from the United States to Ghana and other locations.
The investigation into the crime syndicate was reportedly conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division with help from numerous Ghana government institutions including the Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Cyber Security Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission, and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
Abu Trica's lavish displays of wealth
Before his arrest, the Swedru-based businessman was known as one of the youngest millionaires Ghana.
He frequently
Source: YEN.com.gh
