Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has been taken into custody in Virginia by the United States Immigration authorities over issues regarding his visa status.
The 66-year-old, who served as Ghana’s finance minister from 2017 to 2024, is being held at an immigration facility, according to records from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In a statement released on Wednesday, his legal team said Ofori-Atta was detained over the “status of his current stay in the United States.”
Ofori-Atta had applied to extend his visa following medical treatment, which included surgery for prostate cancer.
His lawyers noted that he is fully cooperating with officials. “His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” the statement said.
The detention comes as Ofori-Atta faces legal matters in his home country, NIGERIAN TRIBUNE reports.
Ghanaian authorities declared him a fugitive in February 2025 and formally charged him with corruption in November 2025.
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He has not been in Ghana since January 2025.
The charges involve his work under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, where he led tax reforms and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
His legal team has not said when he might be released or if he intends to return to Ghana to face the charges against him.
