The embattled Swedru-based businessman, Frederick Kumi, widely known as Abu Trica, and his two associates have been denied bail by the Gbese District Court.
Abu Trica was at the Gbese District Court as part of extradition proceedings following a request from US authorities.
In a viral video shared, Abu Trica and his accomplices were spotted arriving at the Gbese District Court.
The Swedru-based businessman was dressed in a black shirt and a black cap and covered his face to conceal his identity.
His associate, Lord Eshun and Bernard Aidoo were also escorted to court by the security service without their faces covered.
The Gbese District Court denied Abu Trica and his two associates and remanded them into Police custody.
The court ordered the Interior Ministry to clarify arrest warrants for two of Abu Trica’s alleged accomplices within five weeks and denies them bail.
The trio faces fraud and money laundering charges, with the case adjourned to January 13, 2026.
According to reports from TV3, Abu Trica and two others were charged with conspiracy to defraud by false pretence and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a romance scam and wire fraud case.
Meanwhile, Abu Trica, a 31-year-old Ghanaian from Swedru, was arrested for his alleged involvement in an $8 million romance scam which targeted elderly victims in the United States.
He was arrested in Ghana on December 11, 2025, following an investigation conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough for the Northern District of Ohio.
The US Department of Justice wrote, “According to the indictment, perpetrators of this romance scam used Artificial Intelligence software to assume false identities and form close personal relationships with victims. They gained victims’ trust to obtain money and valuables, often targeting individuals through social media and online dating platforms under false pretences.
Victims were often elderly and engaged in romantic but physically distant relationships with perpetrators. The perpetrators built trust through frequent, intimate conversations by phone, email, and messaging platforms. They then requested money or valuables under false pretenses, such as urgent medical needs, travel expenses, or investment opportunities. Relying on these misrepresentations, victims were persuaded to send funds or valuables, which were then directed to co-conspirators posing as third parties.
The indictment also alleges that after the victims transferred funds, Kumi worked with a network of co-conspirators to distribute the money from Ohio and across the United States to associates in the Republic of Ghana and other locations.
Kumi has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and a forfeiture specification, and faces up to 20 years in prison”.
It further added, “If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including a defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, his role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum, and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt”.
Also, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has said he would be very happy to hand over Frederick Kumi, widely known as Abu Trica, in exchange for the former Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
Speaking during the Government’s Accountability Series on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Attorney General stated, “I would have been glad to hand over Abu Trica, as I have done in other cases, and in return secure Ken Ofori-Atta. However, extradition must go through a court of competent jurisdiction. In our case, that is a district court. In the US, it will be a federal district court”.
“The person subject to extradition will contest it in court. The US authorities cannot simply accept my request and take him. The case will proceed through formal court proceedings,” Dr Ayine explained.
Watch the video below:
Internet personality, Abu Trica and two others who were brought before the Gbese District Court, over their involvement in various cyber crimes and money laundering have been denied bail and remanded into custody, as the case harms been adjourned until 13th January 2026. pic.twitter.com/Qn6RTS7TLh
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) December 23, 2025