A Ghanaian fraudster, Abdul Inusah, has been found guilty of fraud and money laundering following a trial in the United States of America.
A jury in Huntington, West Virginia, found the Ghanaian guilty of receipt of stolen money, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and two counts of wire fraud.
He is due to be sentenced in November and faces up to 50 years in jail.
A Conspiracy that Targeted Victims Using False Personas
Prosecutors revealed that Inusah was part of a conspiracy that targeted victims using false personas via email, text messaging, and online dating and social media websites.
From January 2018 through at least December 2019, Inusah and his co-conspirators convinced potential victims they were in a relationship, friendship or business relationship aimed at later extorting money from the victims.
According to the website of the U.S Justice Department: “One false persona, “Miarama,” was used to induce an Alabama resident into providing $106,000 via wire transfers and cashier’s checks. The amount included $48,000 to pay overdue taxes on a nonexistent gold inheritance in Ghana and $21,000 wired to Bitsav Supply LLC, a shell company set up by Inusah.
“Another false persona, “Grace,” persuaded a Washington resident to wire funds so “Grace” could maintain her South African cocoa plantation and move to the United States to marry the victim. Other victims of the false personas included residents of Ohio and Florida,”
Said United States Attorney Will Thompson following Inusah’s conviction: “It is truly heartbreaking how this conspiracy exploited individuals who were particularly vulnerable, such as following the death of a longtime spouse. Some of the victims did not recognize themselves as victims, and continued to believe these false personas were real and that they were in actual relationships,”
Thompson added: “I commend the investigative work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), the West Virginia State Police and the South Charleston Police Department. I also commend Assistant United States Attorneys Kathleen Robeson and R. Gregory McVey and our trial team for trying this complex fraud case before the jury.”
Meanwhile, certain reports allege Inusah is the son of a former Ghanaian Member of Parliament and Minister, although that’s yet to be confirmed.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com
