A 69-year-old British woman tragically died in a car accident in Ghana on February 14, 2023, after being systematically defrauded of her entire £1 million life savings by online romance scammers over a five-year period.

The Initial Deception

Janet Fordham initially fell victim to a con artist posing as a British Army sergeant stationed in Syria in 2017, sending him approximately £150,000. Despite warnings from her family, she continued to be targeted by subsequent scams.

Escalating Scams and Financial Ruin

Mrs. Fordham fell for further scams, including one involving a supposed ‘diplomat’ and another where she attempted to recover lost funds with the help of a man named Kofi in Ghana. She moved into a caravan with her son and daughter-in-law in Honiton, Devon, after exhausting her funds and selling her property.

Attempts to Recover Lost Funds

The family’s desperate attempts to intervene proved futile, as Mrs. Fordham repeatedly refused to cooperate with police investigations initiated in 2017, 2020, and 2022. She employed various methods to transfer money, including bank transfers, wire transfers, and potentially through a travel agent.

Travel to Ghana and Fatal Crash

Mrs. Fordham traveled to Ghana in October 2022 to meet Kofi, who claimed he could assist in recovering her lost money. They became romantically involved and were en route to seek family approval for marriage when the fatal car crash occurred.

Legal Outcome for Driver

Kofi, who was driving, pleaded guilty to driving offences and received a suspended sentence and a fine. The inquest, held at Devon Coroner's Court, confirmed that there was no evidence of third-party involvement in Mrs. Fordham’s death.

Family's Plea and Warning

Detective Sergeant Ben Smith of Devon and Cornwall Police highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement due to Mrs. Fordham’s unwillingness to engage with investigations. Her daughter-in-law, Melanie Fordham, described how the initial scam began with promises of love, but quickly evolved into requests for money.

Extent of Financial Losses

The family discovered that Mrs. Fordham had also borrowed approximately £140,000 from other family members and accumulated debt on loans and credit cards. The tragedy serves as a stark warning about the devastating impact of romance fraud.

The family remains uncertain about the precise sequence of events, emphasizing the manipulative tactics employed by the fraudsters. This case underscores the need for increased awareness and preventative measures to protect vulnerable individuals from online romance scams.