Ghanaian In US Sentenced 7 Months Over $200 Snapchat Extortion Scheme
- Cross Abu Cole, a Ghanaian in the US was sentenced for Snapchat extortion after seven months in custody
- Cole threatened to release sensitive photos unless paid $200, forcing an initial transaction via CashApp
- Following his sentence, Cole is now under the Department of Homeland Security for immigration proceedings
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A 21-year-old Ghanaian in the US, Cross Abu Cole, has been sentenced to time served of about seven months after being convicted of interstate communications with intent to extort
Cole has since been turned over to the Department of Homeland Security.
Source: Getty Images
According to court records, the extortion offence dates back to October 30, 2022.
CBS News reported that Cole's arrest is part of a growing wave of such cases in the US.
Cole was said to have improperly accessed a Snapchat account belonging to an individual identified as the Victim and obtained sensitive photographs stored on the account.
Investigators said Cole subsequently contacted the Victim using a Google Voice telephone number and demanded a payment of $200.
Prosecutors said he threatened that if the money was not paid, he would damage the Victim’s reputation by releasing the graphic photographs to the victim’s family and friends.
An initial payment of $200 was made via CashApp as instructed, but the Victim later cancelled the transaction.
Despite this, the victim later discovered that some of his Snapchat contacts had already received the photographs.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of the Special Agent in Charge, Philip Tejera.
US authorities have not disclosed further details about immigration proceedings, but confirmed that Cole has been handed over to the Department of Homeland Security following the completion of his custodial sentence.
Cole risks being deported, given the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, where foreigners with criminal records are being deported.
Ghanaians charged and extradited by US authorities
Some Ghanaians have fallen foul of US authorities because of cybercrime.
At least 10 Ghanaians have been charged by US authorities in 2025 for various cybercrimes.
Popular Ghanaian socialite and businessman Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, popularly known as Dada Joe Remix, was arrested in a joint Ghana Police and FBI sting operation in Ghana on May 28, 2025.
According to an unsealed indictment issued by a grand jury in the District of Arizona. Dada Joe Remix was part of a massive international fraud scheme that operated for a decade between 2013 and 2023.
After Dada Joe Remix’s extradition, another Ghanaian socialite, Kofi Boat, was arrested in a joint operation between Interpol and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday, June 13, 2025.
Source: Instagram
Kofi Boat was accused of being complicit in a $100 million fraud scheme that utilised elaborate romance scams and business email compromises (BECs) dating back to at least 2016 to defraud individuals and businesses.
In May, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio unsealed charges against five Ghanaians.
They were Otuo Amponsah, Anna Amponsah, Hannah Adom, Portia Joe, and Dwayne Asafo Adjei.
They were charged for their alleged involvement in conspiracies to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
Court documents showed that the defendants used various wire fraud and romance fraud schemes between December 2017 and March 2024 to defraud multiple elderly victims in the United States.
Police officers interdicted for misconduct on social media
YEN.com.gh reported that five officers of the Ghana Police Service were interdicted over social media misconduct.
They were alleged to have used their uniforms for unauthorised purposes on their social media pages.
In a statement, the police said the five officers have been referred to the Police Professional Standards Bureau.
Source: YEN.com.gh
