2 Accused Of Stealing More Than $400K From Retired Couple

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Two men from Ghana who are now living in western Pa. are accused in a very complex theft and money laundering scheme. The charges come after federal agents raided two homes and one business on Friday.

An investigation over a year long, FBI agents, ICE agents, and Homeland Security agents carried out three raids. They had warrants to search 606 Fordham Street in Brookline, 140 Marlene Drive in Beaver Falls and Remy Tire Mart in Aliquippa.

Nathanael Nyamekye owns Remy Tire Mart. He and Ismail Shitu are facing federal criminal charges for allegedly laundering money from a fraudulent real estate sale, where a retired couple from Gaithersburg, Md. was cheated out of $411,548.06 in a very complicated scheme.

According to the criminal complaint and affidavit, the theft of the home sale money was done through a series of faxes and emails and the proceeds were deposited in Shitu's bank account. Officials said he then obtained eight bank checks with the stolen money, payable to various people and businesses.

According to investigators, one of them, in the amount of $48,000, was to Remy Tire Mart. Officials say Nyamekye deposited the check in his business bank account. Investigators said another check, for $50,000, was made out to Salem's Market and Grill, were Shitu was once employed. Officials said that check was ultimately recovered and the money was returned to the victims.

There are arrest warrants for Nyamekye and Shitu. According to officials, the victims are still out over $350,000, which was essentially their life savings they planned to use during retirement.

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