Ghanaian Jailed 9 Years Over $36.4 Million Scam In The U.S.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney General for the Southern District of New York made it known as Fred Asante, was sentenced to 108 months for his role played as a top money launderer for a criminal enterprise in Ghana, involved in multiple fraud schemes, that amount to tens of millions of dollars, from victims across the U.S.

These schemes include compromised business emails, romance scams targeting elderly victims and fraud schemes related to Covid-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “Fred Asante set up companies that appear to be involved in legitimate business, but in reality, they were simply fronts that he used to receive and lauder millions of dollars for a criminal enterprise in Ghana that has defrauded American businesses and individuals through online scams.

Asante will now serve a substantial term in prison for his money laundering operation. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who participated in the money side of the fraud business.”

Fred Asante was taken into police custody on February 17, 2021 in Virginia and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering charges leveled on him on February 16, 2022. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, imposed the sentence on Wednesday, 18 May, 2022.