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Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Looted the West, Outfoxed Washington, and Swindled the World
By Yepoka Yeebo
Summary:
Once upon a time, in a land called Ghana, a man with a plan appeared. But this wasn’t just any plan; it was a con artist’s dream scheme. Meet John Ackah Blay-Miezah, a charismatic trickster who decided to take on the world. This is the story of how he pulled off one of the greatest cons of the 20th century.
The Big Lie:
First, you need to know about Ghana. It had just won its independence from Britain in 1957, which was a big deal. But as soon as the party was over, trouble started brewing. Opportunists from all over, including some very greedy folks from the West, wanted a piece of Ghana’s pie. They wanted its assets, especially its gold.
Then, a CIA-funded military group came along and kicked out Ghana’s president, Kwame Nkrumah. They accused him of hiding the country’s gold overseas. But guess what? It was all a lie, a big, fat fib.
Enter the Trickster:
Now, here comes John Ackah Blay-Miezah. He grew up in Ghana, in a not-so-rich family. But he had big dreams, and he knew how to make them come true, or so he thought.
Blay-Miezah claimed to be the keeper of a super-duper rich trust fund that belonged to Nkrumah. This trust fund supposedly held billions of dollars. And here’s the kicker – he said that anyone could have a piece of the pie. All they had to do was “invest” in his efforts to release the fund. Spoiler alert: there was no fund.
The Great Scam:
Throughout the 1970s and ’80s, Blay-Miezah and his buddies (including some important people in Ghana and even a former attorney general from the Nixon era in the U.S.) scammed hundreds of millions of dollars. They tricked thousands of believers into thinking they’d get rich.
Blay-Miezah lived the good life, fooling lawyers in Philadelphia, financiers in London, and businessmen in Seoul. Meanwhile, the FBI was hot on his trail, trying to catch him. American prosecutors called this scam one of the most incredible and money-making frauds in modern history.
Unraveling the Story:
In the book “Anansi’s Gold,” Yepoka Yeebo takes us on a thrilling adventure. She follows Blay-Miezah’s wild journey and uncovers what really happened to Ghana’s missing wealth. It’s a tale of the Cold War, international money games, and how history sometimes gets written with lies.
So, if you’re into stories of tricksters, scams, and unraveling mysteries, this book might just be your cup of tea. It’s a real-life adventure that shows how the world can be a pretty tricky place.
Genres:
- Nonfiction
- History
- True Crime
- Crime
- Biography
- Africa
- Historical
Book Details:
- Pages: 400
- Format: Hardcover
- First Published: August 1, 2023
About the Author:
Yepoka Yeebo is the storyteller behind this incredible real-life tale. With her words, she brings to life the adventures of John Ackah Blay-Miezah and the unbelievable scam that took the world by storm. Enjoy the journey as she unravels the mysteries of Ghana’s missing gold.
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