Ghanaian twins plead guilty in $9M U.S. romance fraud case

Two Ghanaian twin brothers and a Hawaii woman have pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal court in Ohio to running a romance scam that cost older victims in the United States and Europe more than US$9 million, the BBC reported on Oct. 27, 2026.

Jamal and Kamal Abubakari, 22, and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, 53, of Hawaii, face up to 20 years in prison each. Sentencing is set for next year, the BBC reported.

The group targeted elderly people in the U.S. and Europe, using fake identities to convince victims they were in a romantic relationship, then persuading them to transfer large sums into bank accounts in Ghana, according to the BBC. Between July 2024 and April 2026, victims collectively lost US$9 million. Many were from Ohio, where the charges were brought, but others lived in 24 other U.S. states, Germany and Austria.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced the indictment of the three in May 2026, charging them with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. They were arrested in Virginia. Reports on the pleas said the brothers pleaded guilty on Oct. 13 and Opoku-Boachie on Oct. 20, with sentencing set for Feb. 9 and 10, 2027.

As part of the plea agreements, the three agreed to forfeit jewellery seized when they were arrested, including luxury watches, rings, chains and earrings, the BBC said. The three accused use several aliases, according to the BBC, including “Arrangement” and “Lancaster” for the brothers.

The case is part of a wider U.S. crackdown on fraud networks operating between the U.S. and West Africa. The BBC reported that FBI Director Kash Patel said earlier this month the bureau had made hundreds of arrests after dismantling a scam centre in Ghana. In June, Ghanaian social media influencer Frederick Kumi, known as Abu Trica, was extradited to the U.S. to face trial on allegations that he ran a romance scam that defrauded elderly Americans of more than US$8 million. Kumi denies the charges.

Romance fraud is a growing problem in Canada as well. Data from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre shows Canadians lost more than $704 million to fraud in 2025, and the centre said romance fraud was among the three types of fraud with the highest financial impact, after investment fraud. The centre says only five to 10 per cent of frauds are reported, so the real losses are higher.

Police in Canada have reported similar schemes. Our earlier coverage included a Canada-wide romance scam that police said cost victims $275,000, and a look at how technology is opening new frontiers for crime in Canada.

Anyone who suspects they or a relative have been targeted can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Warning signs include a new online partner who avoids video calls, asks for money for emergencies and urges secrecy.

Sentencing for the three is expected in February 2027.

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