Gov’t Collaborating with U.S. to Freeze Accounts of Embassy Fraud Suspect – Ablakwa

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has revealed that the Ghanaian government is working closely with U.S. authorities to freeze the bank accounts of Fredrick Kwarteng, the prime suspect in a major visa and passport fraud scandal at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Ablakwa stated that this action is part of a broader effort to ensure accountability and bring all individuals involved to justice.

“I emphasize that Fredrick Kwarteng, the main suspect in this matter, and any accomplices, will face the full rigours of the law. We are cooperating with U.S. officials to freeze accounts associated with this fraudulent scheme,” he said.

The embassy was temporarily closed on May 26 following revelations of widespread misconduct and abuse of office. A special audit uncovered that Kwarteng, an IT staffer employed locally since 2017, had illicitly created a link on the embassy’s website to redirect visa and passport applicants to his private company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where they were charged unauthorized fees ranging from $29.75 to $60.

Ablakwa, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, indicated that several measures are underway to investigate and dismantle the fraudulent network.

“I have issued multiple directives that are actively being implemented. An internal committee has been tasked to probe all locally recruited staff, and EOCO has been officially engaged to pursue Mr. Kwarteng, trace the financial trail, and facilitate his extradition to Ghana for prosecution,” he disclosed.

The government says it remains committed to restoring the integrity of its foreign missions and ensuring transparency in consular services.