Gold Fraud Litigation in Ghana: Common Tactics, Legal Changes & Transparent Fees

By ClintonOur Publications

Overview

Ghana’s gold sector is one of the largest in Africa, attracting genuine buyers and sellers — but also opportunists and fraudsters. Gold fraud cases often involve elaborate excuses, partial deliveries, and prolonged delays that drain time and resources. If you’ve paid for gold that never arrives, or received only a fraction of what was promised, swift legal intervention is essential.

Typical Seller Excuses in Gold Fraud Cases

In our experience litigating gold fraud in Ghana, certain patterns repeat:

  1. Change in Gold Export Rules
    Fraudsters often claim that a sudden change in Ghana’s gold export laws has delayed or prevented shipment. While Ghana has tightened compliance rules — particularly around refining, assay certification, and anti–money laundering — legitimate transactions can still proceed if structured correctly.

  2. PMMC / Assay Centre Delays
    Sellers may blame the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) or assay centres for holding up the export, claiming the gold is “undergoing further testing” or “awaiting clearance.”

  3. Reduced Monthly Supply
    A common tactic is to promise large volumes (e.g., 10 kg/month) but then claim they can only supply 1 kg/month due to “market shortages” or “supplier constraints” — and even that small shipment never materialises.

  4. Change of Licence Holder or Exporter
    Fraudsters may claim the licensed exporter they use has had their licence suspended, and that they are “seeking a replacement.”

  5. Blaming the Buyer
    The buyer may be accused of “delaying paperwork,” “not paying ancillary fees,” or “failing to send representatives,” all to shift responsibility.

Delay Tactics to Watch For

  • Repeated Rescheduling: Shipments promised “next week” that never leave Ghana.

  • Endless Documentation Requests: Unnecessary new agreements, compliance forms, or “urgent” amendments.

  • Staging: Delivering a small, low-value consignment to build trust before vanishing with a larger payment.

  • Partial Refund Promises: Assurances of refund “as soon as other sales complete,” which never happen.

Legal Landscape: Changes in Ghana’s Gold Laws

Ghana has updated aspects of its gold sector regulation, including:

  • Mandatory sales through PMMC for certain categories of sellers/exporters.

  • Stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti–money laundering requirements.

  • Refinery and Assay Certification before export.

These changes are real, but in fraud cases, such provisions are often misused as a smokescreen to justify non-delivery.

Our Approach to Gold Fraud Litigation

Clinton Consultancy offers a fast, strategic response to recover funds, secure interim relief, and hold fraudulent actors accountable. Our process includes:

  1. Immediate case review and evidence analysis.

  2. Demand letters and pre-action correspondence.

  3. Filing civil claims in the High Court of Ghana.

  4. Coordinating with criminal authorities where appropriate.

  5. Pursuing freezing orders, injunctions, and asset recovery.

Flat-Fee Litigation Pricing

To help clients plan their legal strategy without cost uncertainty, we offer a flat-fee litigation package for gold fraud cases:

  • Case Review & Filing

  • Court Appearances & Submissions

  • Ancillary Applications (injunctions, asset freezes):

This structure allows you to budget for each stage, with no surprise hourly billing.

Why Act Quickly

Fraudsters often dissipate funds and assets within days. A delay in engaging counsel can make recovery significantly harder. The sooner legal action is filed, the greater the chance of freezing assets and halting further loss.

Contact Amanda Clinton

If you suspect gold fraud or face non-delivery, contact us immediately: