TUCSON, Ariz., 30 JUNE 2026 – A citizen of Ghana who was brought to the United States under an extradition order has admitted guilt in federal court for taking part in a wire fraud conspiracy that defrauded elderly Americans through fake romance and inheritance scams, officials said Tuesday.
Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, who also goes by “Dada Joe Remix,” entered a guilty plea last week to one felony count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud before the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Boateng was detained in Ghana on May 27, 2025, pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. He was transferred to American custody in June 2025 and has been held since then.
Details of the Fraud: 2013–March 2023
As part of his plea deal, Boateng acknowledged that he and others operated a scheme for roughly ten years, from 2013 until March 2023, aimed at older victims in Arizona and elsewhere in the country.
Court records say members of the conspiracy created fictitious romantic relationships with victims online, using dating platforms, text messages, and other digital contact. They also told victims they stood to receive a bequest of gold and jewelry, but that “taxes and fees” had to be paid first to unlock the inheritance.
Repayment and Penalty Phase
Boateng has agreed to restitution of about $4.4 million, an amount prosecutors describe as the direct financial harm tied to his participation.
United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez is set to impose sentence on September 8, 2026. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries up to 20 years in federal prison.
Case Handled by FBI, Aided by Ghanaian Authorities
The investigation was run by the FBI’s Phoenix Division out of its Sierra Vista office. The prosecution is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson.
Federal officials highlighted cooperation from the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra; Ghana’s Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice; the Economic and Organized Crime Office; Ghana Police Service – INTERPOL; and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in securing Boateng’s extradition.
The case is docketed as 23-CR-00695-TUC-AMM.