Asante Berko extradited to U.S. for bribery charges

Asante Kwaku Berko, a dual citizen of the United States and Ghana, has been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States to face charges related to a multi-year scheme involving bribery and money laundering.

Berko, 50, appeared in the Eastern District of New York on Monday, July 15, to answer charges that he conspired to bribe Ghanaian officials in order to secure business for a Turkish energy company.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Head of the Criminal Division and Christie M. Curtis, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and New York Field Office (FBI) announced the extradition.

The scheme, which took place between December 2014 and March 2017, allegedly involved Berko and others offering more than $70,000 in bribes to Ghanaian officials to facilitate the construction and financing of a power plant in Ghana by the Turkish firm.

“For over two years, Asante Berko, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Ghana, allegedly bribed Ghanian government officials to monopolize a promising business deal and used United States bank accounts to transfer such kickbacks. Financially influencing decision-makers, including those overseas, jeopardizes the integrity of affected countries while creating an unfair advantage to those promoting the bribery scheme. The FBI will not permit citizens, regardless of their nationality, to obtain corrupt contracts by exploiting foreign countries and utilizing our nation to facilitate the movement of unlawful payments,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Curtis.

Berko, who was an executive director in the Investment Banking Division of a U.S.-based global investment firm, faces one count of conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), one count of violating the FCPA, and one count of conspiring to commit money laundering.

If convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for the money laundering charge and up to five years for each FCPA-related charge.

The FBI’s International Corruption Unit is investigating the case, while the prosecution is being led by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

The extradition was secured with the assistance of the U.K. National Central Bureau of INTERPOL and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.