Embattled former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been detained by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to information released by his legal representatives in Ghana.

In a public notice issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, lawyers for Mr Ofori-Atta, Minkah-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners (MPOBB), confirmed the detention but assured the public that efforts are underway to secure his release. The statement was signed by Justice Kusi-Minkah Premo ESQ.

According to the notice, the detention stems from issues relating to the status of Mr Ofori-Atta’s continued stay in the United States. The firm noted that his U.S.-based legal team is actively engaging with ICE to resolve the matter.

“The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as of yesterday (6 January 2026), detained the former Minister for Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, regarding the status of his current stay in the United States. His US legal team is in contact with ICE and expects the matter to be resolved expeditiously,” the statement said.

MPOBB further explained that Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which allows an individual to remain in the United States legally beyond the validity period of their visa.

“Mr Ofori-Atta has a pending petition for adjustment of status, which authorises a person to stay in the US legally past the period of validity of their visa. Under US law, a change of status by this method is common,” the notice added.

The law firm stressed that the former finance minister is cooperating fully with immigration authorities and urged the public to remain calm.

“The public is, therefore, advised to note that he is a law-abiding person and is fully cooperating with ICE to have this issue resolved. His legal team is in contact with ICE and working to resolve the matter as expeditiously as possible,” the statement assured.

Meanwhile, information available on the official website of the United States Department of Homeland Security indicates that Mr Ofori-Atta is currently in ICE custody at the Caroline Detention Facility, located at 11093 SW Lewis Memorial Drive, Bowling Green, Virginia 22427.

The development comes amid ongoing legal challenges for Mr Ofori-Atta in Ghana. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has declared him a wanted person and a fugitive from justice in connection with multiple high-profile corruption investigations. The allegations relate to several controversial contracts and financial dealings during his tenure as finance minister between 2017 and 2024, including contractual arrangements between Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), issues surrounding the controversial National Cathedral project, the termination of an Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) contract, procurement related to the National Ambulance Service, and the utilisation of the Ghana Revenue Authority’s Tax Refund Account.

In November 2025, the OSP filed 78 counts of corruption-related charges against Mr. Ofori-Atta and others in the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra over the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited contract, alleging conspiracy to influence procurement and cause financial loss to the state in violation of Ghana’s criminal and procurement laws.

After Mr Ofori-Atta failed to appear for questioning by the OSP on multiple occasions, the agency reinstated his status as a wanted person and triggered an Interpol Red Notice in June 2025 to facilitate his provisional arrest and extradition.

The former minister has consistently denied wrongdoing and has engaged in legal challenges against the OSP’s actions. However, he has not appeared in Ghana to answer the charges in person, leading to ongoing efforts by authorities to secure his return.

The trial is at the case management conference (CMC) stage.

| This image circulated on October 1, 2025, reportedly showing Ofori-Atta and his wife spotted in America 

Mr Ofori-Atta has been in the United States since January 2025 to receive medical care. He subsequently underwent surgery in the US following a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

The procedure, a radical prostatectomy, was performed on June 13, 2025, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Medical sources indicated that the surgery was considered a critical intervention after recent tests showed signs of progression of the disease.

According to the sources, doctors confirmed the prostate cancer diagnosis in March 2025 after MRI scans and a biopsy revealed an increased spread of cancer cells within the prostate.

Family sources said Mr Ofori-Atta had been undergoing treatment and close medical monitoring in the US for several weeks prior to the operation.

In addition to the cancer treatment, the former finance minister has also been managing post-COVID multi-system inflammatory response syndrome, a condition he was first diagnosed with in February 2021 and which has required continuous medical supervision.