Ghanaian National Sentenced to 85 Months in US Prison Over $100M Romance, Email Scam
A Ghanaian national has been sentenced to 85 months in prison in the United States for his role in an international criminal organisation that stole more than $100 million from victims through romance scams and business email compromises.
Derrick Van Yeboah, also known as “Van,” 41, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in the Southern District of New York after he pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Van Yeboah was part of a criminal organisation primarily based in Ghana that targeted individuals and businesses across the United States.
Prosecutors said many of the victims were vulnerable older men and women who were tricked into believing they were in online romantic relationships with people who did not exist.
Once trust was gained, the victims were deceived into sending money or helping to launder funds from other victims. The group also carried out business email compromises to trick companies into wiring money to accounts controlled by the enterprise.
In total, the conspiracy stole and laundered more than $100 million from dozens of victims. The proceeds were later moved to West Africa.
Court documents show Van Yeboah personally impersonated fake romantic partners in communications with victims.
Between 2019 and 2020, he assumed fake identities to scam an Ohio woman and a Delaware woman, inducing them to transfer approximately $4.2 million to accounts belonging to members of the conspiracy.
In 2024, he also targeted a North Carolina man, convincing him to send about $123,000 by claiming he needed funds for a parent’s funeral and to recover gold and diamonds from Italy.
The U.S. court held Van Yeboah responsible for more than $10 million stolen from victims through his romance scams.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Subramanian ordered two years of supervised release and $10,149,429.17 in forfeiture.
“Romance scammers do not simply steal money—they weaponise trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Van Yeboah and his co-conspirators exploited trust, loneliness, and legitimate business relationships to steal more than $100 million. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of these calculated frauds and our commitment to pursuing international criminal organisations that target Americans.”
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