Columbus, Ohio – Samuel Antwi, a citizen of Ghana and former Columbus resident, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to crimes resulting from his involvement in laundering money obtained through online romance scams.
After being charged on Valentine’s Day in 2018, Antwi fled the United States. He was arrested in Ghana in July 2021at the request of the United States and Ghanaian authorities extradited Antwi back to Columbus to face his pending charges. He has remained in custody since his extradition.
According to court documents, the perpetrators of the romance scams created several profiles on online dating sites. The scammers then contacted men and women throughout the United States and elsewhere, established relationships with the victims and ultimately asked for money. The victims received account information and were directed to send money to those accounts, including some controlled by Antwi. The fraud generated millions of dollars in proceeds. Antwi is not charged with perpetrating the romance scams, but instead is charged with laundering the proceeds to conceal or disguise their criminal source.
“Scammers use online dating sites to build trust relationships with victims and persuade them to send money or share personal and financial information,” said U.S Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “As Valentine’s Day approaches, remember, never send money to someone you have only met online. If you are the victim of a romance scam, file a complaint at…
