Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been taken into custody by U.S. immigration authorities amid ongoing legal troubles in his home country, where he faces corruption charges.
Ofori-Atta, 66, who served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 to 2024, is currently held at an immigration facility in Virginia, according to records from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A statement released by his legal team on Wednesday revealed that Ofori-Atta was detained on Tuesday over issues surrounding the “status of his current stay in the United States,” adding that he had applied to extend his visa following a period of medical treatment, which included prostate cancer surgery.
“His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” the lawyers said, noting that Ofori-Atta was fully cooperating with authorities.
The former minister was declared a fugitive by Ghanaian authorities in February 2025 and was formally charged with corruption in November of the same year. He has not returned to Ghana since January 2025.
The charges stem from his tenure under former President, Nana Akufo-Addo, during which he led controversial tax reforms and managed critical negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The legal team did not disclose when Ofori-Atta might be released or whether he plans to return to Ghana to face trial.