Janet Fordham, 69, tragically lost her life in a car accident in Ghana on February 14, 2023, after being ensnared in multiple romance frauds that drained her life savings and forced her out of her home. The inquest revealed she lost up to £1 million over five years to online scammers who manipulated her trust and finances.
From Online Romance to Financial Ruin
Mrs. Fordham, a retired housekeeper, began her online dating journey in 2017. She met a man claiming to be a British Army sergeant major stationed in Syria, who convinced her to help him transport gold bars to the UK. The man promised retirement and a shared future, including buying a home together. Despite warnings from her family, Mrs. Fordham transferred approximately £150,000 to this individual before the deception came to light years later.
By the time she traveled to Ghana, Mrs. Fordham was living in a caravan at her son Martin and daughter-in-law Melanie Fordham’s home in Honiton, Devon. Her family described how she had lost her house, savings, and even borrowed £140,000 from relatives, while also falling behind on loans and credit card payments. She frequently withdrew her pension in daily maximum amounts, desperate to reclaim her lost funds.
Multiple Scams and Unrelenting Fraud
After the initial scam, Mrs. Fordham fell victim to another fraudster posing as a diplomat, which resulted in her UK bank accounts being frozen. The family could not trace how she moved from one scam to the next, but she continued transferring money through banks, wire transfers, and even travel agents. Eventually, financial institutions and the post office intervened, halting her transactions as they recognized fraudulent activity.
‘Doctor’ in Ghana Offers Hope
A third man, named Kofi, entered the picture claiming to be a Ghanaian doctor who discovered messages indicating Mrs. Fordham had been scammed. He promised to help recover her money. Police investigated Kofi but could not proceed further due to Mrs. Fordham’s lack of cooperation. Despite warnings from Devon and Cornwall Police in 2017, 2020, and 2022 advising her to cease contact with scammers, she continued sending money willingly, including via Bitcoin and ATMs.
Melanie Fordham reflected on her mother-in-law’s mindset: “Whether she was so deep in denial that she believed she could get her money back, or genuinely trusted the lies, we may never know.”
Journey to Ghana and Fatal Crash
In October 2022, Mrs. Fordham flew to Ghana to meet Kofi, with whom she had developed a romantic relationship. Despite family efforts, including legal consultations and medical advice, she was deemed mentally capable and determined to proceed.
While traveling from Accra to the Oti region to seek family approval for marriage, their vehicle veered off the road and crashed. Mrs. Fordham sustained fatal head injuries, confirmed by Detective Sergeant Ben Smith of Devon and Cornwall Police during the inquest. Authorities ruled out any involvement of a third party in the accident.
Legal Outcome
Kofi pleaded guilty to driving offenses connected to the crash. He received a suspended prison sentence and was fined.
Coroner’s Verdict
Philip Spinney, senior coroner for Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay, concluded the inquest by stating: “Janet Fordham died as a consequence of a head injury that was probably sustained in a road traffic collision.”
