Ghana and UK Recover $15.1M in Crypto From Scam

Authorities identified and consolidated assets equivalent to 119.4 bitcoin and 93 ethereum, along with 2.85 million USDT spread across nearly 20 different tokens. The fraudsters had converted much of the haul into dogecoin (DOGE) to break the trail. The software connected the wallets to a single coordinated network.

After the seizure, the crypto was liquidated through private-sector partners Complycrypto and custodian Zodia Custody. The $15.1 million was transferred into a dedicated exhibit account under Ghanaian control. Authorities are screening victims for restitution, and a portion of the recovered funds is expected to be sent to the UK for British victims.

“The evolving nature of new threats such as fraud requires a new kind of partnership built on intelligence sharing and advanced tools,” Archer said.

For crypto market participants, the case points to an enforcement infrastructure that is becoming routine: real-time chain analysis, fast administrative freezes, and inter-agency coordination. Exchanges are increasingly expected to flag suspicious patterns early; OKX's compliance team triggered the entire chain. The Bank of Ghana has since issued a directive ordering all regulated financial institutions to stop supporting unauthorized foreign platforms, tightening the on-ramp for similar schemes.

The 14-day freeze order and the shared data feed let two countries move on the same wallets at the same time. That speed of coordination is now part of the enforcement baseline.