Ghanaian Influencer Accused Of Running $8M Scam Targeting Vulnerable Elderly

Suspicions were raised after Kumi, who also goes by the alias of Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, began to flaunt luxury items online to his fans, having more than 100,000 followers on Instagram.

Prosecutors claim Ghanaian social media influencer, Abu Trica, “built trust” with his elderly victims while being accused of curating a romantic and lucrative scam that defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8 million, BBC reports.

Trica, whose real name is Frederick Kumi, allegedly used AI to create false online identities, targeting victims of the elderly community through social media platforms and dating sites. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and a money laundering conspiracy after earning his victims’ trust and extorting their money. ‘The perpetrators built trust through frequent, intimate conversations by phone, email, and messaging platforms,” with victims, prosecutors said.

“They then requested money or valuables under false pretences, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses, or investment opportunities.”

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Suspicions were raised after Kumi, who also goes by the alias Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, began flaunting luxury items online to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers. According to Cleveland.com, the scammer alludes to being a successful businessman by posting pictures and videos of expensive cars and a grand residence in Swedru, Ghana. Law enforcement soon zeroed in on how his income came about.

His Dec. 11 arrest took place in Ghana but stood before a judge in Cleveland, Ohio, facing up to 20 years in prison, as prosecutors allege some of Kumi’s victims reside there. Trica allegedly worked with a group of scammers to host frequent and intimate conversations with victims, not just through social platforms but also on the phone, email, and messaging platforms.

The victims would then send their hard-earned money to Kumi and the scammers, who would claim they had urgent medical needs, needed funds to travel, or had investment opportunities.

American law enforcement has stepped up the crackdown against criminal networks operating in the United States and in West Africa that are actively scamming the elderly. One alleged Ghanaian fraudster, known as Dada Joe Remix, faced extradition to the U.S. in July 2025 after being accused of using romantic schemes to defraud vulnerable pockets. In early December, Oluwaseun Adekoya, a Nigerian fraudster, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for being the mastermind behind a nationwide bank fraud and $2 million money laundering conspiracy.

The trend of financial fraud against America’s elderly community can cost a pretty penny. Reports from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) revealed that scams targeting adults 60 and older have reached $2.4 billion, a 26.3% increase from $1.9 billion in 2023.

The uptick is due to scams that have resulted in individual losses of $100,000 or more.