USA: Ghanaian twins plead guilty to $9 million romance scam

This is the end of a well-oiled network that has robbed dozens of vulnerable people around the world. The 22-year-old twins, Jamal and Kamal Abubakari, originally from Ghana, and their accomplice now face heavy prison sentences in the United States after confessing.

A romance fraud case of unprecedented scale has just reached its conclusion in the American justice system. The two twin brothers, along with their accomplice Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie (53), have officially pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. This admission brings to a close months of federal investigations into the network.

The network's modus operandi was as simple as it was cruel. Between July 2024 and April 2026, members of this gang created attractive fake profiles on dating platforms and various social networks. Once they had gained trust and won over their victims, they psychologically manipulated them into making large money transfers under various false pretenses.

In total, the scam amassed over $9 million (approximately 5.5 billion FCFA). The profile of the victims is particularly outrageous: they were mainly elderly people, targeted in no fewer than 25 American states, but also in Germany and Austria.

The investigation revealed that a significant portion of the stolen funds was immediately laundered and then transferred to accomplices based in Ghana and other countries.

During their arrests, law enforcement seized a veritable treasure trove. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants agreed to relinquish all the luxury jewelry and other valuables seized by the American justice system.

The sentence is approaching for the trio. Each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The twins will learn their exact sentence on February 9, 2027, while their accomplice Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie will learn her fate the very next day, February 10, 2027.

In recent months, U.S. authorities have intensified their fight against criminal networks operating in the United States and West Africa that seek to defraud elderly Americans. Earlier this month, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that hundreds of arrests had been made following the dismantling of a scam center in Ghana.