Three individuals entered guilty pleas this Thursday in a federal court in Cincinnati for orchestrating a $9 million romance‑scam that preyed on elderly victims in the United States and Europe. The conspirators—Ghanaian twin brothers Jamal and Kamal Abubakari and American woman Amanda Joy Opoku‑Boachie—used fake profiles on dating apps and social media to create a veneer of romance, then convinced their victims to send large sums of money to bank accounts in Ghana. Between July 2024 and April 2026, victims collectively lost a staggering $9 million (about £6.7 million). Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced in 2027. As part of the plea, the court ordered the forfeiture of luxury jewellery and other assets seized from the defendants.
The Abubakaris and Opoku‑Boachie are known by multiple aliases: Jamal (also “Jamal Abubakar” and “Arrangement”), Kamal (also “Kamal Abubakar” and “Lancaster”), and Joy (also “Amanda Joy Glum” and “Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman”). In recent months, U.S. authorities have intensified efforts against West African cyber‑crime networks that target U.S. seniors. FBI Director Kash Patel announced a series of arrests following the dismantlement of a scam hub in Ghana. Earlier this month, Ghanaian influencer Frederick Kumi—known online as “Abu Trica”—was extradited to the U.S. to face a $8 million foreign‑fraud case.
The court charges the trio under U.S. elder‑abuse statutes and federal wire‑fraud laws. Their strategy involved asking for money or valuables under false pretences such as urgent medical needs or travel plans. Kumi’s indictment echoes the Abubakari case: both highlight the global reach of romance scams that prey on trust and vulnerability.
The plea deals come as part of a larger U.S. crackdown on internet‑based fraud. Authorities recovered high‑value jewellery—including watches, rings, chains and earrings—from the defendants’ residences. Those items will be forfeited back to the government. The sentencing session is scheduled for next year, where the full extent of the violence against senior citizens will be examined.
This case forms part of a new wave of investigative reporting that follows another high‑profile Ghanaian influencer’s extradition and a mass arrest mission targeting West African cyber‑crime networks.
For more on the crackdown, readers can follow our live reporting on this and related stories on RTWnews.com, where our 24‑hour coverage will continue analysing the new developments.
