US FBI declares pastor Ayitey Ayayee-Amim wanted over fraud, offers $1,000 reward

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A Ghanaian pastor living in the United States, Ayitey Ayayee-Amim, remains on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Most Wanted list after allegedly absconding while facing charges related to a health care fraud scheme.

According to details published on the FBI’s wanted notice, Ayayee-Amim was indicted on September 1, 2015, on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He is also known by several aliases, including Ayitey Amim, Kwame, Man of God, Sam, and Pastor Kwame.

The FBI alleges that Ayayee-Amim and his co-conspirators worked at Paradise Home Health in Arlington, Texas, between 2010 and 2011, where they submitted false and fraudulent Medicare claims for health services that were either medically unnecessary or never provided.

Investigators further allege that the Ghanaian pastor recruited new patients into the scheme and paid cash kickbacks to existing patients in exchange for their participation.

Ayayee-Amim was arrested on May 8, 2015, in connection with the allegations but was later released on bail pending trial.

However, the FBI said he failed to appear for his scheduled jury trial on August 15, 2016, prompting the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas to issue a federal arrest warrant for him.

Since then, his whereabouts have remained unknown, and he has continued to feature on the FBI’s list of wanted fugitives.

The bureau is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading directly to his arrest.