Ghanaian immigration officials arrested 36 individuals on October 6th, operating what authorities described as a network marketing recruitment mill in Ejisu. The suspects allegedly imported foreign nationals under false pretenses, then forced them to recruit others into an unnamed multi-level marketing scheme. Most of those arrested were West African nationals.
My Joy Online reported on October 6th that these individuals entered Ghana claiming legitimate job offers. Once in the country, the organizers funneled them into network marketing operations. The specific MLM company involved remains undisclosed. However, the operational pattern, particularly the use of immigration fraud and recruitment sweatshops, aligns with past activities attributed to QNet in Ghana.
Ejisu Municipal Commander of Immigration Alfred Nii Boye Lartey characterized the operation as a security threat. During the raid, his team discovered the suspects confined to a room, all engaged on phones, holding forms for prospective victims. Lartey stated that victims registered and paid via mobile money accounts.
Authorities identified Abdul Azis Nasiru as the ringleader. Nasiru maintained the MLM company possessed official registration documents. Ghana's Immigration Service, however, stated these documents were fraudulent. This incident follows a November 4, 2022, regulatory enforcement action that ordered QNet to cease operations in Ghana.
The arrests reflect a broader effort by Ghanaian law enforcement to combat organized crime. Ghana has become a hub for various cybercrime networks. In January 2026, Ghanaian security forces arrested nine Nigerians suspected of coordinating cybercrime activities from makeshift offices in Accra, with 44 others believed to be victims trafficked from Nigeria under false pretenses.
Police in Ghana also reported rescuing 76 Ghanaians trafficked to Nigeria under a fraudulent recruitment scheme in July 2025. These cross-border scams frequently exploit individuals seeking employment, luring them into forced labor or scamming operations. Interpol's "Operation Sentinel" in December 2025 led to 574 arrests across 19 African countries, recovering $3 million in a crackdown on business email compromise, ransomware, and extortion rings. These rings caused financial losses exceeding $40 million.
The issue of fraudulent activities extends into other sectors. In December 2025, social media influencer Frederick Kumi, known as Abu Trica, faced charges for allegedly orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of over $8 million using AI tools. May 2025 saw Ghana temporarily close its embassy in Washington, D.C., amid an investigation into alleged visa corruption. January 2026 brought news of former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta's detention in the US due to immigration status issues, while wanted in Ghana on corruption allegations. The banking sector also grapples with fraud, as Ghana's central bank reported 155 staff dismissed in 2024 in connection with fraudulent practices.
Ghana's Immigration Service continues to investigate the 36 individuals arrested in Ejisu.