5 Ghanaian ‘big boys and girls’ facing charges over alleged drug trafficking or romance scams

• Jessica Hartog and Desmond Koranteng Curiel are among four people facing charges in Ghana over an alleged attempt to export nearly four tonnes of suspected cocaine from Ghana to France, with the shipment reportedly valued at about US$260 million.

• Kofi Boat and Frederick Kumi (Abu Trica) have faced US proceedings over alleged international fraud schemes involving romance scams and other forms of financial fraud. Kumi was extradited to the US in 2026.

• Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng (Dada Joe Remix) pleaded guilty in the US to his role in a romance and inheritance fraud conspiracy, while Ghanaian entrepreneur Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng is facing allegations relating to romance fraud. Charges against those who have not been convicted remain allegations

None of the pending cases below has reached a verdict; only one on this list has actually been convicted.

Here are some of the notable names whose cases have involved allegations of narcotics trafficking or romance fraud.

Jessica Hartog, owner of Euro Spa and Beauty Lounge in Shiashie, is among four people facing charges over an alleged attempt to export about four tonnes of cocaine from Ghana to France.

According to reports, the accused are charged with conspiracy to commit crime and the exportation of narcotic drugs. French authorities allegedly intercepted a 40-foot container containing plastic waste in Dunkirk, where about four tonnes of substances suspected to be cocaine were reportedly discovered.

The shipment has an estimated street value of US$260 million.

Hartog, 34, was arrested alongside businessman Desmond Koranteng Curiel, also known as “Biggs”, while Musah Atta and businessman Kweku Okyere were subsequently arrested. A fifth suspect, Jos Leudekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos”, remains at large, according to the GNA.

Hartog reportedly told investigators that she was Curiel's fiancée and was unaware of the nature and details of his business activities.

All four accused persons pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody. They are scheduled to return to court on October 13, 2026.

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Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng or “Abu Trica”, is facing criminal proceedings in the United States over an alleged romance-fraud scheme targeting elderly Americans.

The US Department of Justice says Kumi was part of a network accused of defrauding more than 80 elderly victims of over US$8 million.

According to US prosecutors, the network used fake identities on dating sites and social media to develop romantic relationships with victims before persuading them to send money under false pretences.

The alleged scheme involved fabricated stories about gold or diamond inheritances, while investigators say some proceeds were channelled through Ghanaian associates and accounts.

Kumi was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, and was extradited to the United States in July 2026. The US DOJ says assets seized during the investigation included a mansion in Ghana, a Lamborghini, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Mercedes-Benz and a BMW.

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Isaac Oduro Boateng, popularly known as Kofi Boat, is another prominent Ghanaian name connected to an international fraud case.

US prosecutors allege that Boateng was a high-ranking member of a Ghana-based criminal organisation involved in romance scams and business email compromises that allegedly stole and laundered more than US$100 million.

The US Department of Justice says Boateng, alongside Inusah Ahmed, Derrick Van Yeboah and Patrick Kwame Asare, was charged with wire-fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money-laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to receive stolen money and receipt of stolen money.

Boateng, Ahmed and Van Yeboah were extradited from Ghana to the US in August 2025, while Asare remained at large at the time of the DOJ announcement.

The case attracted attention in Ghana partly because Boateng's lawyers had previously described him as a businessman with a frozen-food enterprise.

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Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, popularly known as “Dada Joe Remix”, presents a different stage of the legal process because he has pleaded guilty.

According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona, Boateng admitted his involvement in a romance and inheritance fraud conspiracy that operated from 2013 to March 2023.

The scheme targeted elderly victims in Arizona and other parts of the United States.

Boateng was arrested in Ghana on an extradition warrant on May 27, 2025, and later extradited to the United States. In June 2026, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and agreed to pay approximately US$4.4 million in restitution to victims.

Because he pleaded guilty, this case should be distinguished from cases where defendants have simply been arrested or charged and deny wrongdoing.

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Nana Yaw Bonsu Kwarteng, a 35-year-old entrepreneur who also presented himself online as a pastor, is facing multiple charges in Ghana over alleged romance scams.

According to the GNA, Kwarteng and his wife, Sally Akosua Amoasah, face six counts of conspiracy to commit crime by allegedly defrauding by false pretences.

Prosecutors allege that Kwarteng used Instagram to establish relationships with women and subsequently told at least one woman that he had been told by God that she was his wife.

The prosecution also alleges that he later presented himself as being involved in a lucrative car-tyre business.

Investigators further alleged that the couple went into hiding after complaints were made and that Kwarteng was arrested at a hideout in July 2026.

Kwarteng and his wife have denied the charges. The Attorney-General's Department has initiated steps to consolidate the cases and transfer them to the High Court.

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These cases cover different stages of criminal proceedings. Some suspects have only been charged and deny the allegations, while others have been extradited to face trial. Joseph Badu Boateng, for example, has pleaded guilty and agreed to restitution.

The cases also involve different alleged offences, from the suspected exportation of cocaine to international romance fraud and money laundering.