By Emmanuel Nduka
Two Ghanaian brothers and a United States-based woman have been indicted in the US over an alleged romance scam scheme that reportedly targeted elderly Americans and laundered proceeds through an international network.
According to US federal prosecutors, the suspects – Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, both aged 22, alongside 53-year-old Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
The trio was arrested in Virginia and remains in custody pending further court proceedings.
Investigators alleged that the suspects operated fake identities on dating websites and social media platforms, where they cultivated romantic relationships with unsuspecting victims, mostly elderly individuals, before persuading them to send money through wire transfers.
Authorities said the alleged operation ran between July 2024 and April 2026, using fraudulent online profiles to emotionally manipulate victims into parting with large sums of money under false pretences.
Prosecutors further alleged that funds obtained from the victims were routed through bank accounts linked to members of the network, with portions allegedly transferred to accomplices in Ghana and other locations.
US authorities described the case as part of a broader crackdown on romance fraud networks with links to Ghana that have increasingly targeted vulnerable elderly Americans.
Court records cited by prosecutors indicate that several defendants in related cases have either pleaded guilty or are awaiting sentencing for offences bordering on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, with cumulative prison sentences in previous convictions nearing 50 years.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said the probe remains ongoing, adding that it is being conducted in collaboration with multiple US agencies and Ghanaian law enforcement authorities.
However, prosecutors stressed that the indictment does not amount to a conviction and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
