Ghana breaks silence on Russian man who secretly recorded sexual encounter multiple Ghanaian women

Ghana has launched a formal push to extradite a Russian national accused of secretly recording sexual encounters with multiple Ghanaian women and disseminating the footage online without their consent, sparking widespread outrage over privacy violations and digital exploitation.

The suspect, identified in local and international media as a self-styled “pick-up artist” and online blogger in his thirties, named in some reports as Yaytseslav or Vyacheslav Trahov, allegedly traveled to Ghana to film his interactions with women, including intimate moments.

Outlets in Africa and Russia have reported that he used specially equipped sunglasses fitted with hidden cameras to capture some of these encounters, later sharing edited or full versions on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and a paid private Telegram channel.

Ghanaian authorities have not officially confirmed the use of camera-equipped sunglasses or the suspect’s exact identity, but the case has ignited public debate on consent, cybercrime, and women’s safety.

On Saturday, February 14, 2026, Ghana’s Minister of Communications, Digital Technology, and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George (commonly known as Sam George), addressed the media, confirming that the government is mobilizing all available resources to pursue justice.

He revealed that he had summoned the Russian ambassador in Accra for urgent discussions, urging Moscow’s cooperation in extraditing the suspect to face charges under Ghanaian law.

“The actions of this Russian citizen flout our cyber-security laws,” Minister George stated.

“We will find that gentleman, we will use all the resources we have, to work with Interpol. We will ask the Russian authorities to work with our law enforcement. We want the gentleman to be brought back to Ghana, extradited to Ghana so he can face our law.”

He added that if extradition proves impossible, Russia generally does not extradite its citizens except in exceptional cases, the government would proceed with an in absentia trial.

The minister emphasized collaboration with international partners, including Interpol, to locate and apprehend the individual.

Reports suggest the same person may have engaged in similar activities in Kenya, with viral videos also circulating from Nairobi encounters, amplifying regional concerns.

The scandal erupted earlier this week when dozens of clips surfaced online, showing the man approaching women in public spaces like the Accra Mall, engaging in conversations, and allegedly transitioning to private settings where recordings took place.

Some footage reportedly includes women in compromising situations, fueling anger among Ghanaians and calls for stronger protections against non-consensual intimate imagery.

Under Ghana’s Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038), such offenses, particularly non-consensual recording and distribution of intimate content—can carry significant penalties, with potential imprisonment of up to three years or more depending on the charges.