Ghana Temporarily Closes Washington Embassy After Visa Fraud Scandal

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana has temporarily shut down its embassy in Washington, D.C. following the discovery of a years-long visa fraud scheme allegedly orchestrated by a locally hired staff member.

The decision, announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on May 26, follows an internal audit that uncovered significant misconduct and unapproved financial transactions.

According to reports by the BBC, the staff member, identified as Fred Kwarteng, operated the fraudulent scheme over a five-year period, creating an unauthorized link on the embassy’s official visa application website.

The link redirected applicants to a private company, Ghana Travel Consultants, where they were charged unapproved fees ranging from $30 to $60—payments that were meant to be handled directly by the embassy.

Funds Diverted to Private Accounts

The investigation found that proceeds from these transactions were funneled into private bank accounts belonging to embassy staff, bypassing official channels entirely. In a Facebook statement, Minister Ablakwa described the operation as “illicit” and emphasized that the foreign ministry had no prior knowledge of the scheme.

“The ministry maintains a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and abuse of office,” Ablakwa wrote, adding that the matter has been formally referred to the Attorney General’s Office for potential prosecution and efforts to recover the stolen funds.

In response to the revelations, the Ghanaian foreign ministry has suspended all locally recruited staff in Washington, and recalled foreign service personnel for further investigation. The embassy closure is expected to last a few days to allow for a full structural review and security overhaul aimed at preventing future breaches.

While the government has taken swift disciplinary action, not all Ghanaian officials agree with how the information was made public. Nana Kwame Asafo-Adjei Ayeh, Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, voiced concerns about the diplomatic implications of the Facebook announcement.

“You think stakeholders—like the U.S. government—would be comfortable dealing with an embassy that Ghana’s own minister has declared fraudulent? This is why we insist the minister’s approach was flawed,” Ayeh said.

He suggested that although accountability is necessary, publicizing the scandal without strategic messaging could damage Ghana’s international reputation.

It remains unclear how much money was diverted through the illegal scheme. The Attorney General’s Office is expected to lead the prosecution and recovery process.