Frederick Kumi, popularly known as Abu Trica, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to an alleged $8 million romance scam case. According to reports, Kumi was flown out of Ghana on the morning of Thursday, July 9, 2026, aboard Delta Airlines flight DL 157, bringing to a close months of legal battles over his transfer to face fraud charges in America.
Kumi is wanted in the US over his alleged role in the scheme, which targeted elderly Americans. Prosecutors allege he participated in a scheme that used AI tools to create fake identities and build relationships with victims in order to solicit money under false pretences. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
He was arrested in Ghana on 11 December 2025, following a joint operation involving Ghanaian and US security agencies, including the FBI.
His extradition follows a 2 July decision by the High Court in Accra, which ordered that he be surrendered to US authorities. His lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, had earlier said his client had reportedly been taken to the Police Hospital in Accra, and raised concerns about being unable to access him before the extradition.
Kumi had earlier secured bail from the Accra High Court in the sum of GH¢30 million, with two justified sureties, while his legal team challenged the extradition order.
His case moved rapidly in the past week. On 2 July, the High Court dismissed a challenge by his lawyers against a Gbese District Court ruling that had approved the Attorney-General’s extradition request, after which security officers rearrested him to facilitate the transfer. On 3 July, his lawyers filed an emergency application seeking to halt the process, arguing that it had been fast-tracked without proper notice. Today’s reported extradition suggests that application did not succeed.
The case forms part of a broader US crackdown on Ghanaians linked to romance and cyber fraud schemes, including Joseph Badu Boateng (“Dada Joe Remix”) and musician Hajia4Reall.
Kumi’s legal team had separately filed a human rights lawsuit alleging mistreatment during his arrest. It is not yet clear how his transfer affects that action.
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