Popular Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale has been detained as part of a tax investigation tied to his ownership of a yellow Lamborghini, his management confirmed on Wednesday. The luxury car was seized earlier this month at the request of U.S. authorities, who allege it is connected to the proceeds of a criminal enterprise run by another Ghanaian, Nana Kwabena Amuah, currently serving a seven-year prison sentence in the U.S. for fraud.
In a statement, Wale’s team said the artist, whose real name is Charles Nii Armah, “presented himself voluntarily” to Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). They stressed that his detention is related to “tax obligations” and urged fans to remain calm while his legal team works with authorities to resolve the matter. Wale has previously denied any link to Amuah, insisting he was a “third-party owner” of the $150,000 car and had no knowledge of who shipped it to Ghana. EOCO has indicated the Lamborghini will be returned to the U.S. to assist in restitution for Amuah’s victims.
The seizure forms part of a wider joint operation between Ghana and the U.S. aimed at dismantling international fraud networks. Earlier this month, three Ghanaians were extradited and arrested by the FBI and U.S. Justice Department over their alleged roles in a $100 million fraud scheme involving romance scams and phishing attacks. Shatta Wale, one of Ghana’s most famous entertainers, rose to global prominence after featuring on Beyoncé’s 2019 hit Already and remains a major figure in Africa’s dancehall scene.
