In a Brooklyn federal court ruling, a 36-year-old Ghanaian national was slammed with a 48-month prison sentence for his cold-hearted involvement in romance scams that duped vulnerable and elderly Americans out of millions.
Emmanuel Quamey, who pleaded guilty last October to conspiring to receive stolen money, must also cough up $3.3 million in forfeiture and roughly $3.8 million in restitution to his victims.
U.S. District Judge Carol Bagley Amon delivered the sentence in a packed courtroom, marking a victory for justice against cyber criminals who exploit human affection for financial gain. United States Attorney Breon Peace, alongside Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent-in-Charge Ivan J. Arvelo, declared the sentencing a stern warning to like-minded schemers.
“Romance scams are callous crimes in which perpetrators steal money from vulnerable and elderly victims by taking advantage of the victims’ trust and desire to form human connections,” said U.S. Attorney Peace. “This sentence serves as a warning to individuals like the defendant that there are real consequences to participating in these cruel scams.”
Quamey’s operation involved heart-wrenching deceit, where he and his cronies manipulated several U.S. victims into wiring over $3.8 million into fraudulent accounts with the promise of love and companionship. Operating from September 2019 to March 2023, Quamey controlled more than a dozen bank accounts across the U.S. and Ghana, funneling stolen cash overseas.
