Published: June 5, 2026
MONROVIA — A Montserrado County grand jury has indicted 22 people accused of running an elaborate scheme that lured dozens of young Liberians with promises of jobs and schooling in Canada, then allegedly confined them, stripped them of their money and belongings and, in several cases, sexually abused them.
The indictment, filed before the First Judicial Circuit Court during its May 2026 term, charges the defendants with trafficking in persons, theft of property and criminal conspiracy following an extensive investigation by Liberian authorities. It ranks among the largest alleged human trafficking cases in the country in recent years.
According to court documents, the state, through the Ministry of Justice, alleges that the defendants recruited vulnerable young Liberians from across the country with promises of a better future abroad. Rather than arranging travel, prosecutors say, the accused confined their victims, seized their property, extorted money from them and, in some cases, sexually assaulted the women among them.
The grand jury found probable cause to indict after reviewing evidence presented by state prosecutors.
Those named in the indictment include Bill Plato, Woe Zekarso Garteh, Preston Godfred, Maxson Wonlebaye, Jerome Gensen, Luther Flomo, Alexander Plato, Maddhianline Tompia, Shalley Jonny, Blessing Favor Suah and Stanley Wonlebaye, among others.
57 Victims Allegedly Recruited
The indictment says the operation ran between 2024 and 2025 and involved 57 victims: 22 women and 35 men between the ages of 18 and 36, drawn from seven counties. Each, prosecutors say, was persuaded that he or she would be helped to travel to Canada for work or study.
Many victims sold property, borrowed from relatives or drained family savings to pay what they believed were legitimate processing and travel fees. In all, authorities allege, the victims paid about US$124,921 to members of the operation.
After collecting the payments, the indictment says, the defendants moved the victims to Monrovia and housed them around Gbangba Town along the Roberts International Airport highway. Instead of being prepared for travel, prosecutors say, the victims were held in fenced compounds and cut off from the outside world, their phones, travel documents and personal belongings confiscated and their movement restricted for extended periods.
Witness statements cited in the indictment allege that victims were pressured to contact family and friends to raise still more money. Some reportedly remained confined until law enforcement intervened and made arrests.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse
The case also carries grave allegations of sexual violence against several of the women.
Prosecutors accuse Woe Zekarso Garteh of sexually assaulting one female victim on multiple occasions, without her consent, while she was held at one of the compounds. The indictment alleges that another woman, who had paid about US$3,000 toward her promised travel, was abused after arriving at the facility, and that a third complainant told investigators she was assaulted after being recruited with promises of help reaching Canada.
Medical reports obtained during the investigation have been submitted as evidence supporting the allegations, according to the indictment.
A Coordinated Operation, Prosecutors Say
Investigators allege that several of the accused were employees or associates of a business operating from offices along the Roberts International Airport highway. The prosecution contends the office served as a recruitment center where prospective travelers were urged to pay money and enroll in programs advertised as pathways to overseas jobs and migration.
The defendants, authorities say, worked together to recruit victims, collect payments and run the operation, with individuals performing distinct roles in recruitment, transportation, housing and financial collection. Beyond the trafficking count, prosecutors allege the group conspired to obtain money through false representations and fraudulent promises of travel.
The case has renewed public concern about the growing number of migration scams targeting young Liberians seeking opportunities abroad. Human rights advocates have repeatedly warned that vulnerable people are often lured by offers of overseas employment, only to become victims of fraud, exploitation and trafficking.
The defendants remain presumed innocent unless and until they are convicted, and defense lawyers are expected to challenge the prosecution’s evidence at trial. If convicted, the accused could face severe penalties under Liberia’s anti-trafficking laws.
For now, the indictment represents only the formal accusation stage of the criminal process. The trial is set to begin Monday before Criminal Court C Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie.
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