CLEVELAND – Twin brothers from Ghana and an American woman have pleaded guilty to charges of being part of an international criminal network that devised romance fraud schemes to obtain money from victims who were mostly older Americans. Victims in northern Ohio resided in Edgarton in Williams County. Other victims resided in 24 other states and in Germany and Austria.
All three defendants recently pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Jamal Abubakari, aka Jamal Abubakar, aka Arrangement, 22, and Kamal Abubakari, aka Kamal Abubakar, aka Lancaster, 22, pleaded guilty Oct. 13. Co-conspirator Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, aka Amanda Joy Glum, aka Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53, of Kula, Hawaii, pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2026.
According to allegations in court documents, from about July 2024 to April 2026, the defendants targeted older Americans on dating websites and social media platforms to engage in romance fraud schemes. The defendants conspired with others to use fake personas to establish close, personal relationships with the victims which were often romantic in nature. After being misled by false stories, the victims sent money via wire transfer to financial accounts controlled by conspiracy members. Portions of the funds were further provided to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere. Collectively, the victims lost more than $9 million.
As part of the plea, the Abubakaris and Opoku-Boachie agreed to forfeit jewelry which investigators seized at the time of their arrests, including luxury timepieces, as well as high-end watches, rings, chains, medallions, and earrings.
The investigation leading to the indictments was led by the FBI Cleveland Division.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer would like to acknowledge international and national partners for their valuable assistance in this matter:
• Ghana Attorney General’s Office
• EOCO – Economic Organised Crime Office
• GPS – Ghana Police Service
• Ghana Cyber Security Authority
• NACOC – Ghana Narcotics Control Commission
• Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre
• Ghana Immigration Service
• Ghana National Intelligence Bureau
• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Sensitive Investigation Unit
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs
• U.S. Department of State
• FBI Washington Field Office
• FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra
• U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia
Assistant United States Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Elliot Morrison are leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
The defendants each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing for the Abubakari brothers is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2027. Opoku-Boachie is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 10, 2027.
This investigation and prosecution are in response to the Elder Justice Initiative Program originating from the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA). The mission of the EAPPA and Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate the Department of Justice’s enforcement efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams that target the nation’s elderly population.
