Ghanaian authorities rescued 110 human trafficking victims in October, uncovering another operation tied to the controversial QNet scheme. The victims, primarily from Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire, had been lured to Ghana with promises of legitimate employment before being forced into QNet promotion.
Police sources, cited by Citi Newsroom on October 7, confirmed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) took the victims into protective custody. Suspects reportedly used QNet, an online platform, to entice individuals from neighboring West African nations. The CID stated it is working to apprehend the ringleaders, who are believed to operate across several regions of Ghana.
Victims arrived in Ghana expecting formal jobs. Instead, they faced coercion to register as QNet promoters. They were then pressured to recruit more individuals into the scheme, often under similar false pretenses of employment. This recruitment model forms the core of QNet’s operations, which critics widely identify as a multi-level marketing pyramid scheme.
Malaysia-based QNet, founded by Vijay Eswaran, has drawn numerous fraud complaints and regulatory warnings globally for decades. Despite a Ghanaian court order in 2022 to cease operations, the company’s activities continued underground. Malaysian authorities have taken no significant action against QNet, even with the mounting evidence of its deceptive practices and links to criminal enterprises abroad.
This latest rescue is not an isolated incident. QNet-related human trafficking has troubled Ghana for years. In August 2019, authorities deported 52 QNet promoters during a crime crackdown. A year later, in September 2020, police arrested QNet promoters for impersonating National Security operatives.
The severity of the issue escalated in 2021. A QNet promoter died by suicide in July after falling victim to the scheme. That August, two promoters faced arrest for holding recruits against their will, a tactic known as hostage recruitment. October 2021 saw 15 promoters arrested and 396 victims rescued in a single operation. The desperation surrounding QNet operations even led to violence in November 2021, when frustrated locals stormed a QNet office and stabbed promoters inside.
Enforcement efforts continued through 2022. Eight promoters were arrested in April, and 120 victims were rescued. Three promoters were jailed in August after a failed attempt to kidnap family members. October brought the arrest of 36 promoters for trafficking people into Ghana. Sixty promoters faced arrest in February 2023 for trafficking victims from Togo, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso.
More recently, in September 2024, authorities arrested 487 promoters in connection with a Ponzi recruitment drive. July 2025 saw nine promoters arrested in a cross-border trafficking bust involving Ghana and Nigeria. Just weeks before the current rescue, 17 victims were rescued and deported in September 2025.
Amidst these ongoing criminal investigations and rescues, QNet maintained a public relations campaign. Days before the October victim rescue, the company announced it had received "multiple international awards" for a consumer protection initiative. This initiative was named "QNET Against Scams."
QNet Chief Marketing Officer Trevor Kuna publicly highlighted a Gold Stevie Award at the 22nd Annual International Business Awards. The award recognized a campaign titled "QNET Against Scams: Rebuilding Trust Through Crisis Communication and Public Education in Ghana." The company also secured a Silver Stevie in the Public Service category and a Bronze for a convention event. The day after the latest victim rescue, QNet announced plans to host a major regional convention, V-Africa 2026, in Ghana during the first quarter of 2026.