Ghanaian national Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, popularly known as “Dada Joe Remix,” has pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to his role in
Ghanaian national Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, popularly known as “Dada Joe Remix,” has pleaded guilty in a United States federal court to his role in a decade-long international romance and inheritance fraud scheme that targeted elderly Americans, marking a major development in one of the most high-profile cybercrime cases involving a Ghanaian citizen.
Boateng entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a plea agreement in the U.S. District Court in Arizona after being extradited from Ghana to the United States in June 2025 to face criminal charges.
Under the plea agreement, Boateng also admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to commit money laundering and agreed to pay approximately US$4.4 million in restitution to victims who suffered financial losses through the fraudulent scheme.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Boateng and his co-conspirators operated the fraud network between 2013 and March 2023, using online dating platforms, text messages and other electronic communications to deceive elderly victims across Arizona and other parts of the United States.
Federal prosecutors said members of the criminal network posed as romantic partners to establish emotional relationships with victims before persuading them to send large sums of money.
The conspirators also allegedly convinced victims that they were entitled to receive valuable inheritances, gold or precious jewels, but falsely claimed taxes, customs charges or other fees had to be paid before the assets could be released.
Believing the representations to be genuine, many victims transferred substantial amounts of money, only to discover they had been defrauded.
Boateng’s guilty plea follows his arrest in Ghana on May 27, 2025, after U.S. authorities secured an extradition warrant based on an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Arizona.
He was subsequently extradited to the United States in June 2025, where he has remained in custody pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
The case forms part of a broader international crackdown by U.S. law enforcement agencies on transnational cybercrime syndicates that target elderly and vulnerable victims through romance, inheritance and online investment scams.
The U.S. Department of Justice said the investigation was conducted in close collaboration with the Government of Ghana and international law enforcement agencies, reflecting growing cooperation between the two countries in combating cybercrime and financial fraud.
Officials indicated that the United States will continue working with Ghanaian authorities and other international partners to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals involved in transnational fraud schemes targeting American citizens.
Boateng’s guilty plea represents the latest development in a case that attracted widespread attention in both Ghana and the United States following his extradition last year.
The prosecution has highlighted the increasing sophistication of international cyber fraud networks and renewed warnings to the public, particularly elderly individuals, about the risks associated with online romance and inheritance scams.
The U.S. court is expected to sentence Boateng at a later date after considering the terms of the plea agreement and other relevant factors.
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