Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu is the former MASCLOC CEO
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Victor Smith, has confirmed the arrest and detention of the former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASCLOC), Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, in the United States.
In a statement issued on January 15, 2026, and signed by the ambassador, it was disclosed that Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu was arrested by the US Marshals on January 6, 2026.
The statement further indicated that she is currently being held at the Nevada Southern Detention Centre, located at 2190 East Mesquite Avenue, Pahrump, and is awaiting her day in court.
“I can today confirm that Mrs Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, is being detained at the Nevada Southern Detention Center.
“2190 East Mesquite Avenue.
“Pahrump, NEVADA.
“My information is that she was detained by US Marshals on January 6th and has since been kept at that detention center.
“I am reliably informed that acting on an extradition request sent to the US Authorities sometime in July 2024, US Marshals arrested Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu and placed her in detention to await her day in court,” part of the statement read.
Background
Sedina Tamakloe- Attionu was sentenced to 10 years in prison on April 16, 2024, for embezzling GH¢3.19 million during her tenure at MASCLOC and causing a deliberate financial loss of GH$90 million to the state.
Additionally, Sedina, together with Daniel Axim, who is also a former Chief Operating Officer of MASCLOC, was accused of making unauthorised commitments, resulting in financial obligations totalling GH¢61.74 million for the government.
Furthermore, the charges included GH¢22.15 million in public property loss, improper payment of GH¢273,743, and laundering of GH¢3.7 million.
In a significant development, the court granted the prosecution’s request to proceed with the trial in Attionu’s absence on February 24, 2023. This decision came after Attionu was permitted to travel to the United States in 2021 for medical treatment but failed to return.
Prior to the trial in absentia, on January 24, 2023, the court ordered former Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) CEO Alex Mould and actor Gavivina Tamakloe to pay a GH¢5 million bail bond to the state due to their inability to produce Attionu, for whom they acted as sureties.
According to the prosecution’s account, in 2017, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) investigated fraudulent disbursements of MASLOC funds involving Attionu and Axim.
The investigations revealed that in June 2014, MASLOC invested GH$150,000 in Obaatanpa Micro-Finance Company Limited, a licensed Tier II microfinance company in Ejura, Ashanti Region.
Attionu subsequently offered an additional GH¢500,000 investment to Obaatanpa, leading to the issuance of a MASLOC Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) cheque worth GH$500,000 to Obaatanpa on July 24, 2014.
Upon receipt of the cheque, Attionu allegedly demanded a 24% interest rate from Obaatanpa. When Obaatanpa refused, Attionu demanded a cash refund. Obaatanpa obliged, returning GH¢500,000 in cash to Attionu on August 28, 2014.
Despite acknowledging receipt of the refunded sum in a letter dated August 28, 2014, investigations revealed that MASLOC had no record of the repayment. It was alleged that Attionu appropriated the GH¢500,000 for personal use.
Read the full statement below:
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Victor Smith, confirms the detention of former MASLOC CEO, Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, at the Nevada Southern Detention Centre in the USA. Attached is the official press statement signed by Mr. Smith
.@GhanaMFA
.@JusticeSremSai pic.twitter.com/VAh9SpxQ93— Ghana Embassy, Washington DC (@GhanaEmbassy_DC) January 16, 2026
JHM/AM
