2026 World Cup visa scandal: TRIBE Culture Fest denies receiving alleged US$611,000 for visa payments

Tribe Culture Fest and its Chief Executive Officer, Nana Boateng Gyimah, have rejected claims that the group illicitly obtained $611,000 from private individuals and is refusing to return the money. During a press conference on Sunday, Gyimah stated that the allegations made by the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, lacked substantiated evidence.

He affirmed that neither Tribe nor its CEO had received the funds from the individuals mentioned in the allegations. According to Gyimah, Tribe's interactions with the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) were through formal contracts and institutional agreements for specific events and activities.

These arrangements involved logistical aspects such as travel, accommodation, transportation, and security. Payments of $3,000 and $2,000 were made for these services, and Gyimah emphasized that Tribe had not received direct payments from individuals seeking travel assistance to the United States, Canada, or Mexico. He referred to reports that individuals allegedly paid between $14,000 and $20,000 to NSA personnel in exchange for visa assistance, primarily for travel to the United States and Canada.

However, Gyimah requested concrete evidence to substantiate these claims, including the identities of the alleged payers, recipients, dates, methods, and transaction accounts. He demanded proof of any agreements, receipts, or acknowledgments connecting Tribe Culture Fest or its CEO to the money, as well as legal or contractual grounds for requesting a refund from the organization.

Gyimah insisted that any investigation must pinpoint the true recipients of the funds and determine if the money was paid to an intermediary and, if so, its final destination. He stressed that any claim of Tribe's involvement in the alleged transaction must be supported by evidence establishing the basis for the claim. The denial comes in response to allegations about the $611,000 and the question of whether Tribe should refund the amount.

Tribe Culture Fest maintains that it did not receive the funds from the private individuals mentioned in the allegations.