Ghanaian twin brothers Jamal Abubakari, known as Arrangement, and Kamal Abubakari, known as Lancaster, face up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the United States.
The brothers, both 22, pleaded guilty on October 13, 2026. Their co-conspirator, 53-year-old Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie of Kula, Hawaii, pleaded guilty to the same charge on October 20.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the defendants and others allegedly targeted older Americans through dating websites and social media between July 2024 and April 2026. They used false identities to build close relationships with victims, often of a romantic nature, then persuaded them to send money by wire transfer to accounts controlled by members of the network.
Victims included residents of northern Ohio and people in 24 other U.S. states, Germany and Austria. The group’s alleged schemes resulted in losses of more than $9 million, prosecutors said. Some of the money was transferred to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere.
As part of their plea agreements, the defendants agreed to forfeit jewelry seized during their arrests, including luxury watches, rings, chains, medallions and earrings.
The brothers are scheduled to be sentenced on February 9, 2027. Opoku-Boachie is scheduled to be sentenced the following day. A federal judge will determine each sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Cleveland Division led the investigation, with assistance from U.S. and Ghanaian agencies, including Ghana’s Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office, the Ghana Police Service and the Cyber Security Authority.
The prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative, which supports efforts to combat elder abuse and financial fraud targeting older people.
