Ghanaian footballer Osmanu charged in the United States for internet romance scam

Published on: 04 June 2021

Ghanaian defender Abdul Illal Osmanu has been indicted in the United States for internet romance scams. 

The Union Omaha was charged of defrauding two people for more than $200,000 through Internet crimes.

Union Omaha release a statement on their social media handles confirming the player's arrest on Thursday.

"Last Thursday afternoon, Union Omaha became aware of a pending legal action involving one of our players," the team wrote.

"We are currently gathering information and are fully cooperating with authorities."

General manager of the club, Peter Marlette refused to give further comments on the player's case but confirmed Osmanu has been removed from team activities, including practices and games, pending the outcome of his court proceedings.

The 24-year-old is accused of financial benefitting from 'falsely cultivating relationships' online.

According to the unsealed indictment, Osumanu and another defendant created a fake profile in 2017 of "Amida Ibrahim," a woman who said she was a Canadian-born chef who lived in Ghana. "Ibrahim" contacted an Indiana resident through an online messaging app.

And eight to 10 months into the online relationship, Ibrahim asked the Indiana resident to send her $200 for dormitory expenses. The person sent that amount through Walmart, plus additional money and iTunes cards.

In the summer of 2018, Ibrahim told the person that she had inherited $7.5 million in gold bars but had to pay inheritance tax to claim it. She told the person to write checks to "Abdul Osumanu because he was a friend who would forward her the money."

The Indiana resident continued to write checks every few weeks to Osumanu, the indictment said, for various amounts: $500, $10,000 and $5,700. Ibrahim told the Indianan that she had received each check.

In April 2019, a plan for Ibrahim and the Indiana resident to meet in person fell through, and the communication ceased in July 2019.

In January 2020, according to the indictment, Osumanu and another defendant created another fake profile known as "Jack London" and contacted a California woman.

London, who said he was "a manager for Kane's Investment Funds Management Portfolio" in Los Angeles, communicated via email and text messages with the Californian.

After the relationship turned romantic, London told the woman he had an investment opportunity worth $1.8 million but required an upfront fee payment of $46,000.

The woman sent money for the fee and additional money when London claimed the fees had increased, the indictment said. This money were transferred directly to the codefendant's Chase bank account, who then transferred a portion of the money to Osumanu, according to court documents.

The indictment listed the money subject to forfeiture in connection with the case as at least $24,882 for Osumanu and at least $189,404 for the other defendant, totaling more than $214,000.

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