The victims thought they had found romance and love – but instead were deceived by a ruse that left their hopes dashed and their savings accounts depleted.
Now, twin brothers from Ghana and an American woman have admitted their part in an international crime network that used the fake romance schemes to bilk dozens of victims, most of them elderly Americans, out of more than $9 million in money and other items.
Jamal and Kamal Abubakari, both 22, of Ghana, and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, 53, of Kula, Hawaii, pleaded guilty this month to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio said in a news release.
The fraud took place from July 2024 to April 2026, with victims spread across 25 U.S. states as well as in Germany and Austria. According to the documents, the defendants used dating websites and social media platforms to build personal and often romantic relationships with their victims, in some cases using artificial-intelligence-driven video to remotely interact with them under fake personas.
Swayed by false stories from people they hadn’t actually met in person, the victims wired money to financial accounts controlled by third-party co-conspirators. The purposes for which the defendants said they allegedly needed funds included medical emergencies, investment opportunities or travel costs to visit the victims, documents said.
“The consequences of this conduct are all-encompassing,” prosecutors said. “Victims report that they are left with absolutely nothing to sustain their lives going forward after a lifetime of work and saving. In addition, individual victims are ashamed and deprived of the trust they once had in their fellow human beings.”
As part of their plea agreement, the three defendants forfeited jewelry seized by investigators during their arrests, including luxury timepieces, rings, earrings, medallions and chains, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Each faces a maximum federal 20-year term at sentencing, scheduled for February.
Jamal Abubakari, aka Jamal Abubakar, was also known as Arrangement, court documents said, while Kamal Abubakari, aka Kamal Abubakar, went by the name Lancaster. Opoku-Boachie had several aliases including Amanda Joy Glum and Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman.
Other co-conspirators are awaiting extradition from Ghana, where seized assets included a Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and a Tesla Cybertruck, federal authorities said. In all, they said, more than 130 victims were defrauded.
The case is being conducted under the Elder Justice Initiative Program created by the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017, designed to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud and other scams targeting the nation’s older population.
Reporting by Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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