Forgiveness-Seeking Behaviors Among Online Romance Fraudsters: Insights from Sakawa Actors in Ghana

This study examines forgiveness-seeking behaviors among online romance fraudsters in Ghana, focusing on how Sakawa actors navigate moral guilt. Employing Moral Disengagement Theory and Cultural Criminology perspectives, the study revealed three themes: the motivation for seeking forgiveness, its associated rituals, and its role in victim selection. The findings show that Sakawa actors in Ghana exploit social interpretations of forgiveness to navigate the divine repercussions of Sakawa and to manipulate victims rather than as a genuine effort toward reconciliation or desistance from online romance fraud. The results suggest that although seeking forgiveness is often regarded as a social and moral virtue, an offender's intent to seek forgiveness does not necessarily indicate a willingness to cease criminal behaviors. The findings also reveal the potential criminogenic dimensions of forgiveness, raising questions about its virtue and suggesting the need for further research into forgiveness narratives, particularly within the context of fraud.