Former Finance Minister of Ghana, Ken Ofori-Atta, a leading figure in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a cousin of former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, detention in the United States is in connection with an ongoing investigation into the source of a US$10 million investment made there.
Family sources and officials familiar with the matter say the investment, made around April 2025, has drawn the attention of US authorities, who are seeking to establish the origin of the funds and whether their transfer into the United States complied with American financial and anti–money laundering regulations.
Mr. Ofori-Atta left Ghana while investigations were ongoing into a number of alleged corruption-related cases being pursued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
His lawyers at the time maintained that he had travelled abroad on medical grounds, citing a serious illness and ongoing cancer treatment following surgical procedures.
They argued that his health condition made it difficult for him to participate fully in in-person proceedings in Ghana.
However, subsequent developments suggested that the former minister had applied for permanent residency in the United States, a process that reportedly required a substantial financial investment estimated at about of about US$5 million but he over invested an amount of US$10 million.
This has now become a key focus of US investigations, with authorities reportedly demanding full disclosure of how the funds were acquired and transferred.
According to close family sources, Mr. Ofori-Atta is currently cooperating with US investigators, who are examining not only the US$10 million investment but also other deposits and financial activities linked to him in the United States.
The investigations are said to be centred on compliance with US financial regulations and international anti–money laundering standards.
In Ghana, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has previously listed Mr. Ofori-Atta as a suspect in multiple high-profile cases.
These include alleged breaches of procurement laws, abuse of office, and causing financial loss to the state in relation to contracts awarded during his tenure as Finance Minister.
Among the matters cited by the OSP are investigations into revenue assurance contracts in the petroleum and mining sectors, as well as other financial transactions the OSP says warrant closer scrutiny.
The OSP has consistently stressed that the investigations are ongoing and that no court has yet pronounced Mr. Ofori-Atta guilty of any offence.
Nonetheless, the Special Prosecutor has maintained that the former minister’s absence from the country complicated investigative processes and raised concerns about accountability.
Family sources also disclosed underlying tensions within the extended family prior to Mr. Ofori-Atta’s departure from Ghana.
According to the source, relations between him and former President Akufo-Addo were strained in the period leading up to the end of the administration, allegedly over disagreements concerning the return of certain funds requested by the then President.
The source described the issue as a “family matter” that was handled privately, adding that not all family members were satisfied with how opportunities and responsibilities were distributed within the NPP government.
Neither Mr. Ofori-Atta nor his legal team has publicly responded to the latest developments in the United States.
Ghanaian authorities have also not issued an official statement on his reported arrest, though sources indicate that cooperation between Ghana and US law enforcement agencies has intensified in recent months.
The case has attracted significant attention both locally and internationally, given Mr. Ofori-Atta’s central role in Ghana’s economic management over several years and the broader implications for cross-border financial accountability.
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Source: www.kumasimail.com
