A federal indictment unsealed in the United States has charged twin Ghanaian brothers Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, alongside a US-based woman, Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering targeting elderly Americans through online dating platforms.
The brothers, known widely on Ghanaian social media as “Arrangement” and “Lancaster,” were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) shortly after arriving in the United States, where they were allegedly expected to collect two million dollars connected to suspected fraudulent activities. All three accused are currently in custody in Virginia pending further court proceedings.
Court documents describe the alleged scheme in blunt terms: “The victims were elderly individuals, and the personal relationships were often romantic in nature but physically remote.”
Prosecutors allege the operation ran between July 2024 and April 2026, during which the accused and associates used fake online identities to cultivate emotional relationships with victims before requesting money under false pretences. Authorities say portions of those funds were subsequently transferred to accomplices in Ghana and other countries.
The Abubakari twins had in recent years drawn considerable public attention for frequently displaying luxury vehicles, designer clothing and large sums of cash on social media platforms.
The case connects to a wider Federal Bureau of Investigation crackdown involving multiple Ghanaian suspects. Frederick Kumi, also known as “Abu Trica,” faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering in the United States after a federal grand jury in the Northern District of Ohio indicted him for allegedly defrauding vulnerable elderly individuals through online romance schemes since 2023.
Previous prosecutions in linked cases have already produced significant prison terms. Dwayne Asafo Adjei received 71 months, while Otuo Amponsah was sentenced to 108 months and ordered to pay more than 3.3 million dollars in restitution.
The investigation involved collaboration between US and Ghanaian institutions, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service (GPS), the Ghana Cyber Security Authority (GCSA) and the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS). Prosecutors said the cases fall under the Elder Justice Initiative Programme, a dedicated federal effort targeting financial crimes against elderly Americans.
Under US law, an indictment is an allegation only. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
