Ghana extradites Abu Trica to US over alleged $8m AI romance scam

A Ghanaian man accused by US prosecutors of helping to run an alleged $8 million artificial intelligence-assisted romance fraud targeting elderly Americans has been extradited from Ghana after months of legal challenges.

Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, was flown to the United States on Thursday after Ghanaian authorities completed extradition proceedings following a series of court rulings.

US prosecutors allege that Kumi was part of a criminal network that used artificial intelligence to create fake online identities and build romantic relationships with elderly victims before persuading them to transfer money under false pretences.

He is expected to face charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

Kumi was arrested in Accra in December 2025 during a joint operation involving Ghanaian security agencies and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

He was later granted GH¢30 million bail while challenging an extradition request filed by the Attorney-General.

However, the Accra High Court last week dismissed his application against an earlier ruling approving his extradition, clearing the way for his transfer to the United

States.

His lawyers subsequently filed an emergency application seeking to halt the extradition, arguing that the proceedings had been expedited without adequate notice.

The application failed to stop the transfer, and Kumi was extradited on Thursday.

The case is one of the latest in a series of US prosecutions

targeting Ghanaians allegedly involved in international romance and cyber fraud operations, reflecting growing cooperation between Ghanaian and American law enforcement agencies in tackling cross-border financial crime.

Kumi's legal team has also filed a separate human rights suit in Ghana alleging that officers involved in his arrest subjected him to torture and degrading treatment. The status of that case following his extradition remains unclear.