Former Ghanaian Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been detained by United States immigration authorities as he faces unresolved corruption charges in Ghana.
Ofori-Atta, 66, is currently in custody at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in the state of Virginia, according to ICE detention records. His lawyers confirmed the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, explaining that the detention is linked to questions over his immigration status in the United States.
According to the legal team, the former minister had sought to extend his U.S. visa after undergoing medical treatment, including surgery for prostate cancer. However, immigration authorities detained him on Tuesday while reviewing the status of his stay.
The lawyers said Ofori-Atta is cooperating fully with ICE officials and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved without delay. They added that his U.S.-based legal representatives are in active discussions with immigration authorities.
Ofori-Atta has been under legal scrutiny in Ghana, where authorities declared him a fugitive in February 2025. He was formally charged with corruption in November 2025 but has remained outside the country since leaving Ghana in January of that year.
The allegations relate to his time in office under former President Nana Akufo-Addo, during which he oversaw contentious tax policies and played a central role in negotiations that led to Ghana’s financial support programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
It remains unclear when Ofori-Atta will be released from ICE custody or whether he intends to return to Ghana to answer the charges against him.
