Twin brothers from Ghana have pleaded guilty in the United States to their part in a romance fraud scheme that cost victims more than $9 million.
Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, both 22, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on 13 October, the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio said. A co-defendant, Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, 53, of Kula, Hawaii, pleaded guilty to the same charge on 20 October.
According to court documents, from about July 2024 to April 2026 the group used fake identities on dating websites and social media to build close, often romantic, relationships with mostly older people. Victims were then persuaded to wire money to accounts controlled by the network. Part of the money was sent on to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere.
Victims lived in 25 US states, as well as Germany and Austria.
Each defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. The brothers are due to be sentenced on 9 February 2027 and Ms Opoku-Boachie on 10 February. All three agreed to forfeit jewellery seized at their arrests, including luxury watches, rings and chains.
The FBI's Cleveland Division led the investigation. US prosecutors thanked Ghanaian agencies for their help, including the Attorney-General's Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service and the Cyber Security Authority.