A 36-year-old Ghanaian, Dickson Alorwornu, also known as “Dixon AI,” has been convicted in the United States (US) after he was found guilty of engaging in a tuition refund scam.
According to a statement issued by the US Attorney’s Office, District of Connecticut, Dixon AI, who is a resident of Greenwich, was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for operating a tuition refund scheme using stolen identities.
The Attorney’s Office indicated that the convict created student accounts with stolen identities. He then uses stolen credit information to fill these accounts with money and asks for refunds under the guise that he was no longer interested in the courses.
“According to the evidence presented during Alorwornu’s trial, in December 2017, Alorwornu used other individuals’ identities to submit two non-degree student applications to the University of Connecticut (“UConn”). He then used credit card information that had been stolen from three victims to fund the two student accounts with a total of more than $62,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. In early 2018, Alorwornu withdrew from the courses and requested that UConn refund the money he had deposited. UConn subsequently transferred approximately $46,000 to bank accounts Alorwornu controlled.
“The investigation revealed that email accounts that Alorwornu used to defraud UConn were also used to defraud other universities of more than $500,000,” part of the statement read.
The statement also indicated that the Ghanaians had a criminal record, including a conviction for fraud in 2024.
“Alorwornu was arrested on February 1, 2023. On October 29, 2024, a jury found him guilty of two counts of wire fraud.
Alorwornu’s criminal history includes a conviction in New York in 2017 for an offense involving his using stolen credit cards and other individuals’ personal identifying information,” the office said.
It added that the Ghanaian man is expected to start his jail time on April 20, 2026.
Read the full statement below:
Ghanaian National Sentenced to 4 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding UConn
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DICKSON ALORWORNU, also known as “Dixon Al,” 36, a citizen of Ghana residing in Greenwich, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 48 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for operating a tuition refund scheme using stolen identities.
According to the evidence presented during Alorwornu’s trial, in December 2017, Alorwornu used other individuals’ identities to submit two non-degree student applications to the University of Connecticut (“UConn”). He then used credit card information that had been stolen from three victims to fund the two student accounts with a total of more than $62,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. In early 2018, Alorwornu withdrew from the courses and requested that UConn refund the money he had deposited. UConn subsequently transferred approximately $46,000 to bank accounts Alorwornu controlled.
The investigation revealed that email accounts that Alorwornu used to defraud UConn were also used to defraud other universities of more than $500,000.
Alorwornu was arrested on February 1, 2023. On October 29, 2024, a jury found him guilty of two counts of wire fraud.
Alorwornu’s criminal history includes a conviction in New York in 2017 for an offence involving his use of stolen credit cards and other individuals’ personal identifying information.
Alorwornu, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on April 20.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the UConn Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward Chang and Elena Coronado.
