JUST IN: Shatta Wale’s Lamborghini Seized By FBI And Ghana’s Anti-Graft Agency Over $4.7m US Fraud
The Ghanaian Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), in collaboration with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice, has seized a luxury vehicle from Ghanaian dancehall star, Charles Nii Armah, popularly known as Shatta Wale.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by EOCO’s acting Executive Director, Raymond Archer, and shared by Joy News on X, the agency disclosed that the seizure followed a 2023 request from the FBI and US Justice Department, prompting a lawful search of Shatta Wale’s residence at Trassaco Valley Phase 1 in Accra.
The operation, carried out by EOCO’s Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit (SARU), led to the discovery and seizure of a 2019 Lamborghini Urus.
According to US authorities, the vehicle has been linked to the criminal proceeds of Nana Kwabena Amuah, a convict currently serving an 86-month sentence in the United States for financial crimes.
“In June this year, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, acting on a 2023 request from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the United States Justice Department, undertook an operation which led to a lawful search in a home at Trassaco Valley Phase 1, in Accra,” the statement noted.
It added that the car was in Shatta Wale’s possession and that the artiste was allowed to voluntarily hand it over to EOCO operatives after pleading for a discreet process due to concerns about his public image.
“The car was seized from one Charles Nii Armah, aka Shatta Wale. The officers were professional and civil, and the search and seizure occurred without incident. Nii Armah had pleaded with officers that he did not want the seizure to be made public because the vehicle was a big part of his brand… Nii Armah was allowed to surrender the vehicle himself, which is currently in the possession of EOCO,” the statement said.
EOCO confirmed that its operatives were armed during the search, describing it as standard operational safety practice.
“It is a standard safety protocol practice for officers of the Surveillance and Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) to carry weapons whilst on operation for the safety of officers,” it added.
The agency disclosed that US authorities are making arrangements to repatriate the seized Lamborghini as part of the restitution owed by Amuah, valued at $4,743,443.
It further revealed that Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of the National Signal Bureau (NSB) are persons of interest in the ongoing investigation and will be invited for questioning.
“The FBI and the Justice Department intend to send a formal Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to the Government of Ghana to return the car to the United States… Charles Nii Armah, aka Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of the National Signal Bureau (NSB), have been assessed as persons of interest and will be invited by EOCO to assist in further ongoing investigations in the coming days,” the statement read.
The agency added that a final report may be submitted to the FBI and the US Department of Justice as part of continued bilateral cooperation. “EOCO may share the final investigations report to the FBI and the Justice Department as part of our ongoing cooperation,” it concluded.
Meanwhile, Shatta Wale has taken to Facebook to express his displeasure over the incident. In one of the posts, he wrote, “Raymond Archer, EOCO Boss, Ibe, you go make NDC go out of power next 4 years. Bringing guns to my house was uncalled for.”
In another, he stated, “EOCO boss, the president of Ghana didn’t put you in that office to come and humiliate the citizens of this country. Remember, God no sleep.”
