A MAN has been jailed for his role as 'the muscle' during a Bembridge blackmail, and for callously defrauding a pensioner of £160,000 by conning him into thinking he was saving the life of his girlfriend in Ghana.

Kwaku Achampong, of Chantry Road, Lupset, Wakefield, appeared before a judge at the Isle of Wight Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday). 

At a previous hearing in April, the 32-year-old admitted blackmail in Bembridge, between November 5 and 11, 2021. 

He also admitted fraud, on September 16 and September 27, for the collection of cash totalling £160,000. 

How did Achampong carry out blackmail on the Isle of Wight?

Prosecutor, Leigh Hart, told the court Achampong had travelled from Wakefield in Yorkshire to the Isle of Wight and asked for directions to a particular house. 

He delivered two packages to the wrong address, in Bembridge, on November 5, 2021. 

The occupant of the house — a woman — mistakenly opened them and found contained within a blackmail letter addressed to a male, referred to in court as Mr S, to protect his anonymity.

The letter demanded payment to the value of £100,000 to a bank account in Germany, and was delivered together with a DVD and naked pictures of the victim.

The envelopes and their contents were handed over to the police. 

The court heard failure to pay would result in the pictures being circulated around the Bembridge area and to media outlets. 

On the same day, the victim received a video showing the approach to the house where the packages had been wrongly left. 

He then received a further three messages and an email, making threats to burn his house and boat if he did not pay. 

Over the phone, he was told he would be killed if he did not comply with the demand. 

The caller told the victim he had been paid 20,000 euros to carry out a mission which he intended to honour — the collection of £100,000 from the victim. 

On Monday, November 8, the victim attended Newport Police Station to report the blackmail and received another call making further threats. 

With police guidance, arrangements were made for the handover of money at a Tesco car park on the Island. 

Contained in the messages sent to the victim was a video taken aboard a Red Funnel ferry, and police enquiries revealed a white BMW registered to Achampong had made the journey on November 5. 

On November 11, Achampong was observed approaching the victim's car, taking a bag of cash from the boot. 

He was immediately arrested by armed police officers and an iphone and other devices were seized. 

Ms Hart said Achampong did not play the leading role in the blackmail, but a significant and pivotal one nonetheless, effectively acting as 'the muscle'.

How did police uncover Achampong's involvement in fraud?

The counts of fraud were discovered when Achampong's devices were forensically examined. 

On September 27, 2021, it was revealed Achampong had travelled from Wakefield to Gloucester Services to meet a 67-year-old man and collect £60,000 in cash. 

A 'Martin from Germany' had asked him to make that trip, in the same way he had asked him to make the trip to the Isle of Wight for the blackmail.

It was revealed on September 16, Achampong had made a previous trip to meet the same victim at the same location, collecting £100,000. 

The victim told police he had been communicating online with a person he believed to be a 35-year-old American woman who lived in Ghana. 

He said he believed they were in a relationship via Whatsapp, and she told him she wanted to move to the UK to be with him. 

He agreed to be her sponsor and started sending her money, and she later told him she had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and needed £160,000 for treatment. 

The sum was transferred via Paypal, but the victim was informed the money was still outstanding and a request was made for payment in cash, and thus the collection was arranged. 

Achampong's bank account showed he received payments on both dates for his role in the commission of the fraud offences. 

What did Achampong have to say for himself?

Jim Osborne, defending, said Achampong was paid some money for his role but was not the leader of the operation — merely a subsidiary player. 

He said he knew he committed a criminal offence to make a gain for somebody else and deeply regretted the part he played. 

Mr Osborne told the court Achampong was married and had four children and fully empathised with the victims. 

He said he got involved with 'Martin from Germany' through his uncle who had been taken ill, and this Martin had paid for his medical fees.

Achampong was described as being the man on the ground doing the bidding of a superior, and 'Martin from Germany' had been the mastermind. 

DC Anthony Daniels, from the Isle of Wight Investigation team, said: “Achampong embarked on a ruthless and manipulative campaign fuelled by greed.

“The men who were victim of these awful crimes have been significantly impacted by Achampong’s offending.

“Achampong travelled across the country to pursue these wicked deeds, and he will now pay the price for his involvement in this.”

Judge, Richard Parkes, told Achampong blackmail was an ugly, vicious crime, and jailed him for six years and nine months. 

He must pay a victim surcharge of £190.