Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, a Ghanaian national better known online as "Dada Joe Remix," has admitted he was behind a yearslong romance-and-inheritance scheme that went after older Arizonans and victims around the country. He pleaded guilty in federal court last week and agreed to pay roughly $4.4 million in restitution, after prosecutors said he used fake love stories and bogus inheritances to drain victims’ savings. Boateng was arrested in Ghana in late May 2025, extradited to the United States the following month, and remains in federal custody while he waits for sentencing in September.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, Boateng pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and admitted that from 2013 through March 2023 he and co-conspirators pretended to be romantic partners using online dating sites, text messages, and other electronic communications. The release states that Ghanaian authorities arrested him on May 28, 2025, that he was extradited in June 2025, and that he has remained in custody since his arrival. Under the plea agreement, he must pay approximately $4.4 million in restitution, and the case is filed as 23-CR-00695-TUC-AMM.
How the scheme worked
Prosecutors and local reporting describe a familiar setup with a very expensive ending. According to officials, the conspirators spent weeks or months building trust with victims, then claimed the targets were about to inherit gold or jewels that could be released if they covered certain fees. As reported by AZFamily, victims were urged to wire money or buy gift cards to cover supposed taxes, shipping, or legal costs tied to the fake treasure. That pattern, with emotional manipulation followed by sudden, urgent money requests, is a classic hallmark of confidence and romance scams.
Investigation and extradition
The investigation was led by the FBI Phoenix Division’s Sierra Vista office, working with U.S. legal attachés and Ghanaian authorities, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The press release credits the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, the Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Police Services - INTERPOL, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs with helping secure Boateng’s arrest and transfer. Extradition first reported captured the moment last year when the case shifted from a long-distance chase to a Tucson courtroom reality.
Scope of harm and local stakes
Federal prosecutors say Boateng’s role was part of a broader transnational operation that pulled in significant sums from older Americans, with about $4.4 million in direct losses tied to his conduct. Nationally, complaints of elder-focused confidence and romance scams have surged, with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center logging billions of dollars in losses and more than 100,000 victims aged 60 and older in recent years. Those numbers help explain why the government pushed for an international extradition in this case, since schemes like this routinely cross borders and demand coordination among multiple agencies.
Legal implications
Boateng’s guilty plea to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, a federal charge that can carry a lengthy prison term, sets up a sentencing hearing on September 8, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Angela M. Martinez, according to AZFamily. The plea agreement requires restitution and leaves prosecutors free to pursue co-conspirators and forfeiture where appropriate. Victims named in the indictment may be able to seek recovery through the federal restitution process, though that often recoups only a fraction of what was lost.
What victims can do
The FBI urges anyone who suspects a romance or inheritance scam to file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3 and contact local law enforcement. The Federal Trade Commission provides guidance on recognizing romance and social-media scams and offers an online portal to report fraud. Keeping messages, emails, bank records, and other documentation, and refusing to send more money, can strengthen investigators’ hands and improve the odds of recovering funds. For official charging documents and plea details, readers can consult the U.S. Attorney’s Office press release and the FBI Phoenix post embedded above.
