Abu Trica: US Releases Update Listing Luxury Cars and Property Seized From Suspected Fraudster
- Frederick Kumi, a 31-year-old Ghanaian national, was extradited to the United States of America on July 9 to face romance scam charges
- Kumi and co-defendant Daniel Yussif allegedly headed a network that targeted elderly widows and divorcees in the US from 2023 to 2025
- The US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Ohio shared an update with the list of luxury items seized from Kumi, aka Abu Trica
The US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Ohio has shared a new update on the prosecution of Abu Trica, who is identified as Frederick Kumi and Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng.
Kumi was extradited to the US on July 9, 2026, to face federal charges alleging he helped orchestrate a romance fraud operation that stole more than $8 million from over 80 elderly victims.
Source: Instagram
Mercedes-Benz in Swedru, Ghana, on December 11, 2025, before being transferred to face prosecution in the Northern District of Ohio.
His co-defendant, Daniel Yussif, also known as Denteni and Slab, also 31 and from Accra, faces related charges.
How Abu Trica's fraud scheme operated
Court documents allege that between April 2023 and November 2025, Kumi served as a leader within a criminal network that exploited online dating platforms and social media to identify and approach elderly Americans, frequently targeting widows and divorcees.
The scheme relied on fabricated female personas, and the socialite reportedly used artificial intelligence-powered video tools to make those false identities more convincing to victims.
Associates communicated directly with victims via encrypted messaging apps and phone calls, maintaining the fictional relationships for extended periods.
Victims were fed false narratives about gold or diamond inheritances, which were used to persuade them to wire money into accounts controlled by members of the network.
Proceeds from the fraud were allegedly distributed to co-conspirators in Ghana and other locations, with Kumi and others using money mules and contacts within the immigrant community in the US to launder millions through fictitious businesses and bank accounts.
List of Abu Trica's luxury assets seized
In a statement from the US Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Ohio, investigators allege that Kumi used his proceeds to acquire luxury items.
International law enforcement partners seized:
- A mansion
- A Lamborghini
- A Tesla Cybertruck
- A Mercedes-Benz
- A BMW
Source: UGC
Source: UGC
Kumi has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, with prosecutors also seeking forfeiture of his alleged ill-got gains.
Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Elliot Morrison.
Which Ghanaian institutions helped arrest Abu Trica?
The case involved cooperation from multiple Ghanaian institutions, including the Attorney General's Office, the Economic Organised Crime Office, the Police Service, the Cyber Security Authority, the Narcotics Control Commission, and the National Intelligence Bureau.
The operation was handled in conjunction with US federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Legal Analyst Amanda Clinton retained reservations about the process feeling Ghana's sovereignty was undermined because of the manner in which Kumi was whisked away, with a pending appeal to his extradition.
"The same American officials who applauded Ghana’s cooperation also spoke about upholding the rule of law. That commitment cannot operate only when it benefits foreign prosecutors. It must also require unwavering respect for Ghana’s own legal processes."
"Due process is not an inconvenience to be bypassed when international pressure intensifies. It is the very mechanism that distinguishes constitutional democracies from systems governed by executive discretion."
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
