US Commends Mahama Administration for Cybercrime Cooperation
The United States has extradited nine Ghanaians accused of cybercrime and related offenses to face trial in the US this year, the US Embassy in Accra has revealed.
Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires at the embassy, disclosed this during a roundtable discussion last Friday, December 12, 2025. He was joined by William B Stevens, Deputy Assistant Secretary for West Africa at the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs.
According to Mr. Olson, the individuals are accused of offenses including online impersonation and defrauding victims of millions of dollars. He emphasized that extradition does not equate to a guilty verdict, stating, “We go through a formal legal process to make a request that someone often be arrested first because they may not necessarily be in prison, and then are legally sent to the United States to stand trial. Everyone gets a fair trial. They’re not guilty. They will be firmly innocent until proven guilty.”
He further explained that conviction would lead to sentencing based on the severity of the crimes proven in court. “These are the kinds of people who, obviously, if proven guilty in court, they should be in prison. They shouldn’t be out being able to take advantage of particularly older people, although any of us, I think, obviously, would be horrified at the idea of being a victim of this kind of crime,” Mr. Olson added.
Mr. Olson lauded the strong cooperation from the Ghanaian government, particularly the administration of President John Dramani Mahama, in the fight against cybercrime. He described the extradition of nine individuals in a single year as “an extraordinary achievement,” commending Ghanaian authorities for their collaboration on law enforcement and upholding the rule of law.
The US remains committed to collaborating with Ghana to combat cybercrime and safeguard citizens from financial fraud, Mr. Olson stated. He also affirmed the US’s openness to receiving extradition requests from Ghana and other nations, noting that the evaluation process is thorough and subject to judicial review. “There’s no individual case that can be prejudged because US judges make decisions on this. And they are, of course, a separate branch of government. So, they have the ability to approve or disapprove a request. But we’re always open to that kind of collaboration,” he said.
Touching on deportations, Mr. Olson mentioned President Donald Trump’s focus on addressing illegal immigration, resulting in the deportation of some foreign nationals. He reiterated the US’s commitment to border security and enforcing immigration laws while respecting individual rights, and highlighted cooperation from the Ghanaian government in the return of Ghanaian nationals who have exhausted their legal options in the US.
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