Washington: A 43-year-old Maryland woman and Ghanaian national, Nana Takyiwa Adonu, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for her involvement in a nationwide romance scam. The sentencing, which took place on July 22, 2026, saw Adonu facing charges of money laundering after she exploited vulnerable individuals across the United States.
According to Ghana Web, Adonu operated a company named Han-Dak LLC, which she used as a front to launder money from victims of the scam. The court documents reveal that she amassed over $1.6 million through this fraudulent operation, including more than $55,000 from a victim in Iowa. Victims were misled into believing they were financially supporting romantic partners, often to the detriment of their financial stability, draining retirement accounts, selling property, or borrowing heavily from family and friends.
When the FBI confronted Adonu, she falsely claimed that Han-Dak LLC was a garment production company. She attempted to obstruct the investigation by producing fabricated invoices, customer lists, and vendor records.
In addition to her prison sentence, Adonu was ordered to pay $1,655,640.76 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release upon completing her sentence. Her co-defendant, Naabanyin Aniagyei-Cobbold, received a sentence in March 2026 of 108 months in prison, restitution of $1.55 million, and three years of supervised release.
The FBI has identified romance scams as a growing concern, with nearly 59,000 victims losing more than $672 million in 2024 alone. Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office, emphasized the severity of these scams, stating that scammers exploit victims at their most vulnerable, convincing them of a genuine relationship before stealing their life savings. He highlighted the case as a stark example of the ruthless persistence of scammers who exploit innocent individuals for financial gain. The FBI is committed to bringing these criminals to justice.
The case was investigated by the FBI's Omaha Cyber Task Force and the Polk County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Lubben. The FBI has urged those targeted by romance scams to cease contact immediately, report any financial transfers to their financial institution, and file a complaint with law enforcement.