British Widow Dies in Ghana After Losing £1 Million to Romance Scams
Devon Coroner’s Court has heard the tragic case of Janet Fordham, a 69-year-old British widow who died in a road crash in Ghana after falling victim to a series of online romance frauds that cost her an estimated £1 million. Mrs Fordham suffered fatal injuries in the collision on 14 February 2023, having traveled to the West African country the previous October.
A Sustained Victim of Online Fraud
The inquest revealed that Mrs Fordham had been targeted by multiple online scams over a five-year period, beginning in 2017. These sophisticated frauds resulted in the loss of her life savings, her home, and forced her to live in a caravan at her son’s property in Honiton, Devon. Detective Sergeant Ben Smith of Devon and Cornwall Police described her as a "sustained victim of fraud throughout that period", with losses estimated between £800,000 and £1 million.
The Elaborate Scams That Emptied Her Accounts
Mrs Fordham initially connected with a man posing as a British Army sergeant major working in Syria, who convinced her he needed help transporting gold bars to the UK. "She said they were in love and they were going to buy a house together," her family recalled. Despite warnings, she transferred approximately £150,000 to this fraudster before discovering the truth.
Her financial troubles escalated when her UK bank accounts were frozen after she was further defrauded by someone claiming to be a diplomat. Family members discovered she had cashed in pension funds, was withdrawing £500 daily to stockpile cash, and had borrowed around £140,000 from relatives while falling behind on loans and credit cards.
The Ghana Connection and Final Journey
Another man, identified only as Kofi, contacted Mrs Fordham claiming to be a Ghanaian doctor who had discovered her messages on a repaired phone and wanted to help recover her money. Despite police warnings, Mrs Fordham developed a romantic relationship with Kofi and flew to Ghana in October 2022 to meet him.
"As a family, we tried everything to stop her, but she was adamant," her daughter-in-law testified. Medical and legal professionals determined she had mental capacity to make her own decisions, despite what family described as brainwashing by the fraudsters.
The Fatal Crash and Investigation Findings
On the day of her death, Mrs Fordham and Kofi were driving from Accra to the Oti region "to get approval from a family member for marriage" when their car left the road. Kofi, who was driving, later pleaded guilty to driving offences and received a suspended prison sentence and fine.
Detective Sergeant Smith confirmed there was no evidence of third-party involvement in Mrs Fordham’s death, and police had made repeated efforts to persuade her to cease contact with the criminals. The inquest continues to examine the full circumstances surrounding this tragic case of exploitation and its fatal consequences.
