{
  "id": 17214388,
  "title": "Two Ghanaians, Kofi Boat and Pascal, face up to 20 years in US over $100m romance fraud scheme",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/two-ghanaians-kofi-boat-and-pascal-face-up-to-20-years-in-us-over",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T10:55:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/two-ghanaians-kofi-boat-and-pascal-face-up-to-20-years-in-us-over-100m-romance-fraud-scheme/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two Ghanaian men, Kofi Boat and Pascal, have pleaded guilty to their involvement in a large-scale romance fraud scheme that defrauded over $100 million from victims in the United States. Boat, 37, and Pascal, 41, were identified by US prosecutors as the \"chairmen\" of an international cybercrime organization based primarily in Ghana. They entered guilty pleas before US District Judge Arun Subramanian in New York, admitting to a single charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which can result in up to 20 years in prison. The two were responsible for supervising and managing the criminal organization that exploited vulnerable individuals, often older men and women, through fake online relationships. After gaining their trust, the perpetrators convinced victims to send money or assist in laundering stolen funds. Boat is responsible for approximately $12.5 million in losses, while Pascal is responsible for around $28.5 million. The case involved cooperation from Ghanaian and US agencies, including the Ghana Attorney General’s Office, the FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Boat and Pascal were extradited to the US on August 7, 2025, following the assistance of various agencies in securing their extradition.",
  "summary": "Two Ghanaian nationals have pleaded guilty to their roles in an international cybercrime syndicate that defrauded victims across the United States of more than $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes. Isaac Oduro Boateng, popularly known as “Kofi Boat”, 37, and Inusah Ahmed, also known as “Pascal”, 41, were described by US […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ghpage",
        "title": "Kofi Boat pleads guilty and faces 20 years in US prison",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/kofi-boat-pleads-guilty-and-faces-20-years-in-us-prison",
        "published": "2026-10-30T14:32:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}