A Ghanaian family has been left reeling after a family member, Mr. Maxwell Kyere, living in Australia, was sentenced in August 2021 to a 19-month Intensive Correctional Order (ICO) for financial fraud and money laundering. The family is disowning him, calling his actions a “stigma and slur” on their reputation.
According to a family spokesperson, Mr. Yaw Kwebi, they had helped Mr. Maxwell Kyere and his siblings before he traveled with his wife to Australia for a better life. However, he instead became involved in a financial scandal with other African nationals, leading to Australian authorities charging him with financial fraud and money laundering, his subsequent arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment. This has since brought the family’s reputation into disrepute.
This issue has resurfaced as a result of Ghana being linked to some major cases. Recently, three Ghanaian nationals were extradited to the US for running a $100 million romance scam and business email compromise scheme. They would target vulnerable folks, often elderly Americans, via social media and dating platforms, gaining their trust before asking for money.
In another case, a Ghanaian man, Frederick Kumi, also known as Abu Trica, was arrested for allegedly defrauding elderly Americans of over $8 million using Al-powered romance scams.
US authorities are taking these cases seriously, working with Ghanaian officials to bring perpetrators to justice.
According to the Spokesperson, people are making derogatory and disgraceful remarks referencing their family members’ case, which occurred in 2021, and this has fueled their anger even more..
The family has distanced themselves from him since 2021, saying they don’t want him back in Ghana.
A close source to both the family and Mr. Maxwell Kyere, whose identity is withheld for safety reasons, has said that the family is dangerous and could even eliminate or harm him if he were to come to Ghana. As it stands now, his family will not allow him to rejoin them in Ghana, leaving him seriously stranded and confused. She is hoping the Australian authorities will temper justice with mercy, as he faces rejection from his family and difficulties in both countries.
We have tried to reach out to Mr. Kyere’s siblings after our encounter with the close source, but they have refused to grant any interview, stating they don’t want to be drawn into this matter.
Source: Martin Adu Poku & John Awuni