Court grants Abu Trica’s defense access to sealed evidence ahead of September trial

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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio has granted Ghanaian socialite Frederick Kumi—widely known as “Abu Trica”—access to sealed investigative materials as his legal team prepares for a high-stakes federal trial scheduled to begin in September.

The court issued a seven-page protective order permitting the disclosure of confidential documents gathered during the investigation, while imposing strict conditions on how the materials may be accessed, shared, and used. Under the order, sealed evidence must be made available to Kumi’s defense counsel and any individuals retained by that counsel in connection with the case. The ruling establishes clear guidelines governing who may view the material and under what circumstances, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected as the case moves toward trial.

The order forms part of the standard discovery process, which ensures the defense receives full access to available evidence before trial. Kumi is being represented by Henry Hilow, a veteran Ohio criminal defense attorney with decades of courtroom experience who previously served as an assistant county prosecutor for 11 years. Hilow has declined to issue any official public statement on the case but has indicated that the defense team is focused on reviewing the prosecution’s evidence during the discovery phase.

The Charges and Allegations

Kumi, a Ghanaian social media influencer with more than 100,000 Instagram followers, was extradited to the United States on July 9, 2026, aboard Delta Airlines flight DL157. His extradition followed a July 2 ruling by the High Court in Accra granting a U.S. request for his surrender.

He has pleaded not guilty to two federal charges: conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors allege that Kumi was part of a sophisticated international romance fraud network that used artificial intelligence tools to create fake online identities, target victims through social media and dating platforms, and build deceptive relationships before soliciting money under false pretenses. The scheme allegedly defrauded elderly Americans of more than $8 million (£5.9 million) between April 2023 and late 2025. Investigators claim the proceeds were laundered and transferred from Ohio and other parts of the United States to Ghana and elsewhere.

Trial Timeline

Court records show that U.S. District Judge John R. Adams has scheduled a mandatory pretrial conference for August 25, 2026, at 11:30 a.m., with the jury trial set to begin on September 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.. The court has made clear that it will not accept plea agreements after the pretrial conference, meaning any deal must be reached before that August deadline.

Under U.S. law, Kumi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted under the U.S. Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution law.

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