Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has revealed that the Ghanaian government is actively working with U.S. authorities to freeze the bank accounts of Fredrick Kwarteng, the main suspect in a high-profile visa and passport fraud case at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Ablakwa emphasized that the collaboration forms part of a comprehensive plan to ensure justice is served and every accomplice is brought to book.
“The lead suspect, Fredrick Kwarteng, along with anyone else involved, will face the full consequences of the law. Our joint efforts with U.S. officials include freezing accounts tied to the fraudulent operations,” he stated.
The embassy was temporarily closed on May 26 after a probe uncovered serious misconduct and abuse of office.
A special audit revealed that Kwarteng, an IT staffer hired in 2017, had secretly created a rogue link on the embassy’s official website. This link rerouted applicants to his own company, Ghana Travel Consultants (GTC), where they were charged unauthorized fees between $29.75 and $60.
Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, said several urgent measures have been initiated to uncover the full scope of the scandal.
“I’ve issued directives currently in effect, including an internal investigation of all locally recruited staff. EOCO has also been tasked to track Kwarteng, investigate the financial trail, and work toward his extradition to face prosecution in Ghana,” he added.