Fred Dzakpata
BROOKLYN, NY — Emmanuel Quamey, a Ghanaian man, has been sentenced to 48 months in prison for his role in a large-scale romance scam operation that defrauded over a dozen vulnerable and elderly victims in the United States.
United States District Judge Carol Bagley Amon delivered the sentence, which also includes an order for Quamey to pay approximately $3.8 million in restitution to the victims. Additionally, he was directed to forfeit $3.3 million in ill-gotten gains.
Quamey had pleaded guilty in October 2023 to conspiring to receive stolen funds in connection with the romance scams. These scams involve fraudsters posing as potential romantic partners on social media or dating websites in order to build a relationship and exploit victims for money.
The victims, who were primarily elderly and vulnerable, were manipulated into sending large sums of money to Quamey and his co-conspirators under false pretenses. The victims believed they were helping their supposed romantic partners, who would often claim to be in financial distress.
Between September 2019 and March 2023, Quamey and his network of fraudsters received over $3.8 million in proceeds from the scams. Quamey personally controlled over $3.3 million of the stolen funds, which were wired into accounts he directly managed. He and his co-conspirators would then move the money overseas to Ghana, using more than a dozen bank accounts in both the U.S. and Ghana.
Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, described the crimes as “callous”, exploiting the trust of vulnerable individuals. “This sentence serves as a warning to individuals like the defendant that there are real consequences to participating in these cruel scams,” he stated.
Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York (HSI), echoed the sentiment, praising the investigation team’s work in bringing the fraudsters to justice and securing restitution for the victims.
Romance scams are a growing threat, often targeting lonely or elderly individuals who are seeking companionship online. The perpetrators manipulate their victims emotionally, creating fake romantic stories and leading them to send money under false pretenses. The funds are typically transferred to bank accounts controlled by the scammers, before being funneled overseas to other accomplices.
Quamey’s sentence and the restitution order reflect the seriousness with which U.S. law enforcement is tackling these fraudulent schemes, and serve as a reminder of the significant impact that such crimes have on the lives of vulnerable individuals.
