Ghanaian-American faces 20-year jail-term, $US500K fine for fraud in US

A Ghanaian-American by the name of Kenneth Anim, aged 38, has been arrested and charged with matters relating to money laundering.

According to indictments in the Southern District of Texas of the US Attorney General’s office dated July 12, 2022, noted that the accused was arrested “following the return of an indictment in a nationwide romance fraud scheme.”

Facts of the case per the indictment

From 2014 to 2019, Anim and his co-conspirator created individual sham businesses, according to the charges. They allegedly operated as money mules in relation to various mail and wire fraud schemes including internet fraud and romance scams.

The indictment further alleges Anim also opened and maintained bank accounts to collect proceeds from the schemes and to send the money to himself, his co-conspirators and overseas.

Arrest and possible jail time

“If convicted, Anim faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $500,000 maximum fine,” the indictment stated.

Kenneth Anim, was taken into custody on the day the indictment was issued. He is said to have previously resided in the Houston and Richmond areas.

Investigations leading to his arrest were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Grace Murphy of Houston FBI are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

This is the latest in a string of recent cases where Ghanaians living in the United States have been arrested and charged with similar crimes either as main suspects or as conspirators.