Two brothers from Ghana and a woman based in the United States have been indicted over their alleged roles in a romance scam and money laundering operation that reportedly preyed on elderly Americans through social media and online dating sites.
The case adds to the growing number of alleged romance fraud incidents involving Ghanaian nationals in recent years.
The suspects Jamal Abubakari, popularly known as “Arrangement”; his brother Kamal Abubakari, also called “Lancaster”; and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie — were charged in a U.S. federal court with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court filings in the United States, the three were arrested in Virginia and are currently being held as legal proceedings continue.
Prosecutors claim that from July 2024 to April 2026, the accused, together with other accomplices, allegedly created fake online profiles to establish romantic relationships with elderly victims on dating platforms and social networking sites.
The victims were reportedly persuaded to send money into accounts linked to the fraud network.
Investigators further allege that some of the money was later transferred to collaborators in Ghana and other countries.
The case is said to be part of a wider U.S. campaign targeting romance scam networks connected to Ghana. American authorities noted that a number of related prosecutions involving Ghanaian suspects have already resulted in convictions and lengthy jail terms.
In a separate but related matter, Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng or “Abu Trica,” alongside Daniel Yussif, alias “Denteni” or “Slab,” were charged in December 2025 for alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Kumi is reportedly from Swedru, while Yussif hails from Accra.
U.S. officials also revealed that several other individuals associated with similar fraud operations have admitted guilt and received prison sentences.
One of them, Dwayne Asafo Adjei, a Ghanaian national, was sentenced to 71 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution. Another convict, Otuo Amponsah, received a 108-month jail term and was directed to pay over $3.3 million in restitution.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Division with assistance from both Ghanaian and U.S. institutions, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Police Service, Ghana Cyber Security Authority, and Ghana Immigration Service.
According to U.S. prosecutors, the prosecutions fall under the Elder Justice Initiative program, which seeks to tackle financial crimes and fraud schemes targeting older citizens.
Authorities emphasised that under U.S. law, an indictment is only an accusation, and all accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.