William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office speaks during a press conference to announce the expansion of Rapid and Strategic Prosecution (RASP) Initiative to address spikes in gun related violence, on October 14, 2020 in New York City. - The top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn announced October 14, 2020 that he would put a new priority on firearms and drug cases, seeking stiffer penalties. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
US investigators say they have busted a “Ghana-based criminal enterprise”, with the arrest of six of its “ringleaders” in the US on charges of laundering more than $50 million.
“The scams we allege in this investigation include romance scams targeting the elderly, business e-mail compromise scams, and even fraudulent Covid-19 relief loans,” the FBI’s William F. Sweeney said in a statement.
Four of the accused had between them controlled more than 45 bank accounts in which more than $50 million had been deposited between 2013 and 2020, the statement alleged.
A vast majority of the deposits consisted of large wire transfers and cheque or cash deposits from various US-based individuals and entities, the statement added.
As part of the investigation, four luxury vehicles suspected to have been purchased with the proceeds of fraud had been seized, the statement said.
The vehicles were: Two 2019 Rolls Royce Cullinans. One 2020 Bentley Continental GT and One 2020 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG.
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