Two brothers from Ghana and a woman from the United States have been indicted for allegedly being a part of a criminal network that devised romance fraud schemes to obtain money from victims by mostly targeting the elderly in the U.S.

An indictment was recently unsealed in United States v. Jamal Abubakari, et al., charging Jamal Abubakari, aka Jamal Abubakar, aka Arrangement, 22; Kamal Abubakari, aka Kamal Abubakar, aka Lancaster, 22; and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, aka Amanda Joy Glum, aka Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

All three defendants were arrested in Virginia and remain in custody pending further court proceedings.

According to allegations in the indictment, 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.

A series of cases related to this matter, which have also charged conspiracies tied to Ghana for targeting elderly victims, have been assigned to a U.S. district judge to coordinate proceedings, said the U.S. Department of Justice on Thursday.

While many defendants in those matters are pending trial or sentencing, nine defendants have already pleaded guilty and been collectively sentenced to approximately 50 years of imprisonment, according to the DOJ.

In United States v. Frederick Kumi, aka Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, aka Abu Trica, and Daniel Yussif, aka Denteni, aka Slab, Kumi, 31, of Swedru, Ghana, and Yussif, 31, of Accra, Ghana, were charged in December 2025 with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.

In United States v. David Onyinye Abuanekwu, et al., Dwayne Asafo Adjei, 29, Nancy Adom, 30, and Eric Aidoo, 46, are currently serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.

Mr Adjei, a citizen of Ghana, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $372,943 in restitution. Ms Adom, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $1,079,559 in restitution. Mr Aidoo, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $668,228 in restitution.

Nader Wasif is currently serving a prison sentence after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. Mr Wasif, 31, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was sentenced to 12 months of imprisonment; one year of supervised release; and ordered to pay $172,644 in restitution.

Additionally, Kelvin Asmah, 28, a citizen of Ghana, was recently arrested after being charged in a second superseding indictment.

In United States v. Otuo Amponsah, et al., Otuo Amponsah, Portia Joe, Anna Amponsah, Hannah Adom, and Mr Adjei are currently serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy.

Mr Amponsah, 34, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $3,324,675 in restitution. Ms Joe, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 51 months of imprisonment; three years supervised release; and ordered to pay $2,035,438 in restitution. Ms Amponsah, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $1,444,639 in restitution. Mr Adjei, 29, a citizen of Ghana, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $372,943 in restitution.

This will run concurrent to the sentence from U.S. v. Abuanekwu et al.

Ms Adom, 27, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months of imprisonment; three years of supervised release; and ordered to pay $278,894 in restitution.

Defendant Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.