11 arrested for AI deepfake scam impersonating Ghana's president
Ghana's police arrested 11 people, mostly Nigerians, for allegedly using AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating President Mahama to fraudulently solicit money and personal information from the public. The suspects were arrested during coordinated cyber operations in May 2026 and remain under investigation.
What happened
Between May 1 and 3, 2026, Ghana Police Service's Cyber Vetting and Enforcement Team (CVET) conducted coordinated cyber operations across Sogakope, Dabala, Tongu, Akatsi and Aflao in the Volta Region, arresting five suspects: Raphael Ablordeppey (32), Anipah Jonathan (23), Dzamesi Bright Kofi (35), Thomas Ayoyo (17) and Louis Segbawu (18) following intelligence on a group creating and circulating AI-generated videos impersonating President John Dramani Mahama.
On May 4, 2026, further cyber field tracking operations led to the arrest of six additional suspects in Aflao: five Nigerians—Bishop Esiri (46), Wisdom James (25), Ali Lucky (23), Edwin Edos (22), and John Kofi Darlington (20)—and one Ghanaian, Danu Peter (19). Police retrieved laptop computers, mobile phones, internet routers, 120 pre-registered SIM cards, and a Nigerian-registered vehicle.
Reported impact
According to police, preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects used fraudulent AI-generated content to solicit money and sensitive personal information from unsuspecting members of the public through online platforms. The suspects are part of a wider network engaged in the creation and dissemination of fraudulent digital contents designed to impersonate high-profile personalities for financial gains.
Index analysis
A deepfake is a hyper-realistic video or audio clip generated by artificial intelligence in which a person's face, voice, or both are digitally manipulated to make them appear to say or do things they never did. AI tools that can generate convincing deepfake videos are now widely available online, often for free, making the technology dangerously accessible.
Governance controls
In court on May 6, 2026, nine of the 11 suspects were remanded into police custody to reappear on May 25, 2026, while Thomas Ayoyo and Louis Segbawu were granted bail with two sureties each to be justified.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.