Ghanaian music sensation Shatta Wale, real name Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jr., has found himself embroiled in an international fraud investigation after operatives from the Ghanaian Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), acting on a request from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Justice, seized his luxury 2019 Lamborghini Urus.
The high-profile operation, confirmed in an official press release by EOCO’s acting Executive Director, Raymond Archer, followed a 2023 request from U.S. authorities. It culminated in a legally sanctioned search of the artist’s upscale residence in Trassaco Valley Phase 1, an affluent neighbourhood in Accra.
According to EOCO, the Lamborghini in question is allegedly linked to criminal proceeds from one Nana Kwabena Amuah, a Ghanaian national currently serving an 86-month prison sentence in the U.S. for a series of financial crimes. Amuah is said to have used illicit funds to acquire high-end assets across multiple countries — including the Lamborghini, which later ended up in Shatta Wale’s possession.
“The vehicle was found in the possession of Charles Nii Armah aka Shatta Wale,” the statement noted. “He voluntarily surrendered the car to EOCO operatives, requesting the seizure remain discreet due to potential damage to his public image and brand.”
Despite the rapper’s pleas, EOCO officers, who were reportedly armed during the search, insisted that the operation followed standard safety protocols, especially when recovering high-value assets potentially linked to international criminal networks.
U.S. authorities have since initiated a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) request to have the vehicle repatriated to the U.S. as part of the financial restitution in Amuah’s $4.7 million fraud case.
In a more damning revelation, EOCO identified Shatta Wale and a former senior officer of the National Signal Bureau (NSB) as persons of interest in the case. The anti-graft body disclosed that both individuals will be invited for formal questioning to assist in the ongoing investigation.
EOCO stated that it “may share the final investigation report with the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice as part of our international law enforcement cooperation.”
Taking to social media, Shatta Wale expressed his outrage, condemning EOCO’s handling of the operation. In one Facebook post, he wrote:
“Raymond Archer, EOCO Boss, you go make NDC go out of power next 4 years. Bringing guns to my house was uncalled for.”
In another, he directly addressed the president of Ghana:
“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.”
While Shatta Wale has not been officially charged with any crime, this development raises serious questions about the oversight of high-profile individuals and the trail of financial crimes linking celebrities and convicted fraudsters.
As EOCO and U.S. officials work toward asset recovery and restitution, legal experts in Ghana say Shatta Wale could face potential legal scrutiny if evidence emerges linking him directly to Amuah’s criminal enterprise. Meanwhile, the seizure marks a significant milestone in cross-border anti-corruption collaboration between Ghana and the United States.