Ghanaian businessman Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, has engaged a new legal team in the United States after pleading not guilty to federal charges linked to an alleged romance fraud scheme that prosecutors say defrauded elderly Americans of more than US$8 million.
Kumi, also known by the aliases Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He has denied the allegations and remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Kumi was part of a criminal network that operated between approximately April 2023 and November 2025. The group allegedly used artificial intelligence tools to create false identities and fictitious female personas, targeting older victims—often widows and divorcees—through social media and online dating platforms. After building trust through extensive conversations, the suspects purportedly requested money under false pretences, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses or investment opportunities. Prosecutors claim the network obtained more than $8 million from over 80 victims.
Kumi, originally from Swedru in Ghana’s Central Region, was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, in a joint operation involving Ghanaian authorities and the FBI. He was extradited to the United States on July 9, 2026, despite last-minute legal efforts by his previous counsel to halt the process. Assets allegedly linked to the scheme, including a mansion in Ghana and luxury vehicles such as a Lamborghini, Tesla Cybertruck, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, have been seized.
Recent court developments show that Kumi has hired new attorneys, Eric F. Long and Lucas D. Triott of Friedman Nemecek Long & Grant, LLC. The court previously classified the case as complex after the defence cited the extensive volume of evidence requiring additional time for review. A pretrial conference is scheduled for around August 24–25, 2026, at which new hearing and trial dates are expected to be set. An original trial date of September 8, 2026, is likely to be postponed.
If convicted, Kumi faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison on the charges. The case continues, with both sides preparing for further proceedings.