Derrick Van Yeboah Ordered to Forfeit Over $10.1 Million After Pleading Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy
A 41-year-old Ghanaian, Derrick Van Yeboah, popularly known as “Van,” has been sentenced to 85 months in a U.S. federal prison for his role in an international fraud syndicate that stole more than $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes.
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian after Van Yeboah pleaded guilty on 5 March 2026 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered him to serve two years of supervised release and forfeit $10,149,429.17, representing proceeds linked to the fraudulent operation.
Van Yeboah was extradited from Ghana to the United States on 7 August 2025 following a joint operation between the U.S. Department of Justice and Ghanaian authorities, including the Office of the Attorney-General, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), and the Ghana Police Service.
According to U.S. prosecutors, the fraud network targeted victims through online romance scams and business email compromise schemes, resulting in losses exceeding $100 million. Authorities described the conviction as a significant milestone in ongoing international efforts to combat organised cybercrime and financial fraud.