United States authorities have arrested Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, former chief executive officer of Ghana’s Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), in connection with long-standing financial crime allegations and an extradition request from Ghana.
Tamakloe-Attionu, who headed MASLOC between 2013 and 2016, left Ghana in 2019 after obtaining court permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. She failed to return to face trial and has since been considered a fugitive, according to reports by BBC Pidgin.
In a statement dated January 15, 2026, Ghana’s ambassador to the United States, Victor Smith, confirmed that Tamakloe-Attionu was arrested by U.S. Marshals on January 6, 2026, at the Nevada Southern Detention Center.
Ambassador Smith stated that the arrest was carried out following an extradition request submitted by Ghana in July 2024. He added that U.S. authorities are expected to present her before a court as part of the extradition proceedings.
Tamakloe-Attionu and a former deputy CEO of MASLOC were charged with causing financial loss to the state, embezzlement, and money laundering. On April 16, 2024, a Ghanaian High Court sentenced her in absentia to 10 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, while her chief operating officer, Daniel Axim, received a five-year sentence.
The court found them guilty on 78 counts, including:
Embezzlement of GHC 3.19 million ($295,000)
Financial loss of GHC 1.97 million ($182,000) to the state
Unauthorized commitments totaling GHC 61.4 million ($6 million)
Property losses amounting to GHC 22.15 million ($2.1 million)
Improper payments of GHC 274,000 ($26,000)
Laundering of GHC 3.7 million ($342,000)
Related Arrest of Former Finance Minister
The arrest coincided with the detention of Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana’s former finance minister, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over alleged immigration violations.
According to ICE, Ofori-Atta entered the United States on May 28, 2025, on a visitor visa that expired on November 27, 2025, after which he overstayed. He was detained on January 6, 2026, at the Caroline Detention Facility in Virginia.
ICE described him as an “illegal alien” who faces 78 corruption-related charges in Ghana.
Lawyers representing Ofori-Atta stated that his U.S. legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved promptly. They noted that he has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which could regularise his stay in the United States.
Ghana’s Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, confirmed that his office submitted extradition requests for Ofori-Atta and his former chief of staff, Ernest Akore, on December 18, 2025.
According to Ayine, the final decision on extradition rests with U.S. judicial authorities, who must determine whether the evidence presented meets
Ambassador Smith stated that Tamakloe-Attionu remains in detention pending her court appearance and that Ghana has been informed that U.S. authorities are proceeding with the extradition process. Her return to Ghana will depend on the completion of required legal procedures.
