Twin brothers Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, both 22, entered guilty pleas on October 13, 2026, in a federal court in the United States for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The pair, who used the aliases Arrangement and Lancaster, were part of an international romance scam that lured older Americans into transferring more than $9 million into accounts controlled by the network.
Their co‑conspirator, 53‑year‑old American Amanda Joy Opoku‑Boachie – also known as Amanda Joy Glum and Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman – pleaded guilty to the same charge on October 20, 2026. The three defendants admitted that between July 2024 and April 2026 they targeted victims across 25 U.S. states, as well as Germany and Austria, by creating fake identities on dating websites and social media. Victims were drawn into what appeared to be romantic relationships before being persuaded to send money to accounts linked to the scheme.
Investigators say some of the proceeds were routed to co‑conspirators in Ghana and other locations. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Division, and several Ghanaian law‑enforcement agencies—including the Attorney‑General’s Office, EOCO, the Cyber Security Authority and the National Intelligence Bureau—carried out the probe.
As part of their plea agreements, the Abubakari brothers and Opoku‑Boachie agreed to forfeit jewellery seized during their arrests, including luxury watches, rings, chains, medallions and earrings. Each faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2027, for the brothers and February 10, 2027, for Opoku‑Boachie, with a judge weighing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
The case is a key element of the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, which seeks to curb financial fraud and abuse targeting older Americans. The scandal underscores the growing threat of cross‑border romance scams and the need for international cooperation in combating such crimes.
