Ghanaian- American Jailed 17yrs For $38m Fraud

Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa

 

A U.S. federal court in Florida has sentenced Ghanaian-American Kelvin Owusu Nkwantabisa, 33, to 17 years in prison for leading a $38 million Business Email Compromise scheme that defrauded companies and individuals worldwide.

Prosecutors said Nkwantabisa, who used aliases “Kevin Brown” and “KO,” ran the U.S. operations of a transnational cybercrime ring.

The group hacked victims’ email accounts, monitored business transactions, and posed as trusted partners to redirect payments into accounts they controlled.

Court documents show the syndicate used multiple bank accounts and shell companies to hide the stolen funds and avoid detection.

Prosecutors told the federal court that Nkwantabisa coordinated overseas accomplices, set up bank accounts across several states, tracked incoming fraudulent transfers, and instructed others on laundering the proceeds. His central role earned him the longest sentence in the case.

Three co-conspirators

Three other accomplices, Leshea Moore, 29, in Georgia was sentenced to 11 years for creating shell companies, opening fraudulent bank accounts, and moving stolen funds

John Jouissance, 33, in Ohio, was sentenced to four years for setting up shell companies and accounts to receive illicit proceeds

Justice Amoh alias “Samuel Andrews”, 37, in New York, was also sentenced to three years for opening accounts with false identities and processing fraudulent transactions under Nkwantabisa’s direction.

U.S. Attorney, Jason A. Reding Quiñones, said the defendants “exploited legitimate business relationships and abused the trust of their victims to steal millions.”

He added that the sentences send “a strong message” to anyone using the U.S. financial system for fraud and money laundering.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Lauderdale, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

By Prince Fiifi Yorke

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