)
)
Award-winning Ghanaian dancehall musician Shatta Wale has passionately defended his long-time associate and ‘godfather’, Kofi Boat, following the latter’s arrest over alleged involvement in a $100 million cybersecurity and financial fraud case.
During a TikTok Live session on Thursday, 19 June 2025, the SM Movement boss responded to growing speculation about his own ties to the businessman’s legal troubles and denounced claims that his success stems from fraudulent activity.
The ‘On God’ hitmaker criticised Ghanaians for hastily labelling Kofi Boat as a fraudster without understanding his character or having any personal connection with him.
READ MORE: Shatta Wale distances himself from alleged fraud case involving Godfather Kofi Boat
)
)
)
Most of you don't know who Kofi Boat is, so everyone is calling him a scammer because he’s gotten into a problem. No problem. God will judge all of us on this earth. Are you calling Kofi Boat a scammer? God, sometimes you put us into difficult situations that we cannot even explain to mankind, but I know you are there to show people that Kofi Boat is not a scammer
Becoming visibly emotional during the session, Shatta Wale shed tears while denying any wrongdoing on the part of his associate. He extended heartfelt sympathy to Kofi Boat’s wife, Joyce, and their children, revealing that the businessman’s arrest had deeply affected him.
Madam Joyce, I am really sorry. I feel bad. Because of Kofi Boat, I can't even sleep. I can’t even control my emotions thinking about his children. Who said Kofi Boat is a scammer? It was just a business that went wrong. Why would Kofi Boat sit behind a computer and defraud someone?
READ MORE: Shatta Wale's close friend Kofi Boat, others nabbed by FBI in $100m US romance scam
The musician acknowledged that many business people can fall victim to deals that spiral out of control, and as a precaution, he has since become more selective about the company he keeps.
Revealing how the incident has shaped his lifestyle, Shatta Wale disclosed that he rarely hosts friends at his $2.5 million residence in the upscale Trassaco Valley Estate in East Legon. According to him, he prefers casual meet-ups at public events rather than close personal interactions to avoid potential legal complications.
READ ALSO: FBI finally charges Dada Joe Remix and other Ghanaians in romance fraud scheme
Kofi Boat was arrested on Friday, 13 June 2025, in a joint operation conducted by Interpol and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was apprehended alongside two other suspects as part of investigations into a complex $100 million fraud scheme. A fourth suspect, Patrick Kwame Asare, reportedly evaded arrest and remains at large.
The three detained individuals were arraigned before a magistrate court on Monday, 16 June 2025, and have since been remanded in custody pending extradition proceedings to the United States, where they face trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
READ ALSO: 6 Ghanaian celebrities who served jail sentences for various reasons
A video of Shatta Wale’s emotional defence of Kofi Boat has since gone viral online, drawing both sympathy and criticism from fans and observers.