11 persons arrested for impersonating President Mahama with AI-generated videos (full list)

• Eleven (11) suspects, including five (5) Nigerians, were arrested by the Ghana Police Service over alleged AI-generated videos impersonating President John Mahama.

• Police say the suspects used deepfake content to allegedly scam people online by soliciting money and personal information.

• Nine (9) suspects were remanded into custody, while two (2) were granted bail pending further investigations.

The Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET) of the Ghana Police Service has arrested 11 persons, including several Nigerian nationals, over the alleged creation and circulation of AI-generated videos impersonating President John Dramani Mahama.

According to a report by myjoyonline the arrests followed a series of coordinated cyber intelligence operations carried out between May 1 and May 4, 2026, across parts of the Volta Region, including Sogakope, Dabala, Tongu, Akatsi, and Aflao.

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Police say the suspects allegedly used deepfake AI technology to create fraudulent video content mimicking the President in order to deceive members of the public online.

The first phase of the operation led to the arrest of five (5) suspects:

• Raphael Ablordeppey, 32

• Anipah Jonathan, 23

• Dzamesi Bright Kofi, 35

• Thomas Ayoyo, 17

• Louis Segbawu, 18

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Further cyber tracking operations conducted on May 4 in Aflao resulted in the arrest of six (6) additional suspects, including five (5) Nigerians and one (1) Ghanaian.

The second group of suspects includes:

• Bishop Esiri, 46

• Wisdom James, 25

• Ali Lucky, 23

• Edwin Edos, 22

• John Kofi Darlington, 20

• Danu Peter, 19

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Investigators reportedly retrieved several items believed to have been used in the alleged operations, including laptop computers, mobile phones, internet routers, and 120 pre-registered SIM cards.

Police also impounded a Nigerian-registered Mercedes-Benz ML 350 with registration number Lagos LSR 138HR.

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Preliminary investigations suggest the suspects allegedly used the fake AI-generated videos to solicit money and obtain sensitive personal information from unsuspecting victims through online platforms.

Police further believe the suspects may be connected to a larger network involved in the production and distribution of fraudulent digital content impersonating prominent public figures for financial gain.

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The suspects were arraigned before court on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Nine (9) of them were remanded into police custody and are expected to reappear before the court on May 25, 2026.

However, two (2) suspects, Thomas Ayoyo and Louis Segbawu, were granted bail with two (2) justified sureties.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing.