Ablakwa claims Fred Kwarteng earned $4.8M yearly through embassy visa fraud

Embattled former Head of IT at Ghana’s Embassy in Washington, Fred Kwarteng, is alleged to have made over four million dollars annually from fraudulent activities.

Fred Kwarteng is accused of creating an unauthorised link on the embassy’s website, which diverted visa and passport applicants to his company, Ghana Travel Consultants, where he charged extra for multiple services on the blind side of the embassy.

Addressing Parliament on the outcome of preliminary investigations on Wednesday, June 18, Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who justified the temporary closure of the Washington Mission, disclosed that the matter has been referred to EOCO for further investigations.

“By the analysis made by the fact-finding team, which is a team made up of distinguished senior diplomats, management of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr. Fred Kwarteng was making 4.8 million dollars annually from his unlawful enterprise.

“It is important to note that there was no share of this amount to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Given the amount of funds that were derived from the authorised operations, it has become imperative to invite EOCO and the Attorney General to investigate, trace the proceeds, and prosecute Fred Kwarteng and his collaborators as instructed by the President.”