Derrick Van Yeboah, a Ghanaian national, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in an international criminal group that stole over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromises. The announcement was made by Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Yeboah entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.
“Derrick Van Yeboah pled guilty today to a massive criminal scheme targeting elderly men and women in online romance scams,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Many New Yorkers search for companionship online, and no one deserves to have their vulnerability met with fraud and theft. Van Yeboah cruelly exploited those vulnerabilities for over $10 million in illicit profit. Today’s plea is a reminder to be vigilant online—especially on dating websites, never give money to someone you just met—and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Court documents show that Yeboah was part of a Ghana-based organization that targeted individuals and businesses across the United States using fake identities to deceive victims into sending money or laundering funds from others. Many victims were older adults who believed they were engaged in genuine romantic relationships online.
The organization also used business email compromise schemes to trick companies into transferring funds under false pretenses. In total, more than $100 million was stolen from dozens of victims, with the proceeds laundered back to West Africa.
Yeboah personally conducted many of these romance scams and is being held responsible for stealing more than $10 million from victims.
At 40 years old, Yeboah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He has agreed to pay restitution and forfeiture totaling $10,149,429.17. Sentencing is set for June 3, 2026.
Jay Clayton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its work on the case and acknowledged assistance from authorities in Ghana as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
The prosecution is being handled by the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mead and Mitzi Steiner leading the case.
