Two Ghanaian brothers and an American woman have been indicted for allegedly participating in a criminal network that operated romance fraud schemes targeting elderly victims across the United States.
According to an indictment recently unsealed in United States v. Jamal Abubakari, et al., the following individuals have been charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering:
- Jamal Abubakari, also known as Jamal Abubakar and “Arrangement,” 22;
- Kamal Abubakari, also known as Kamal Abubakar and “Lancaster,” 22; and
- Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, also known as Amanda Joy Glum and Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53.
All three defendants were arrested in Virginia and remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly operated the scheme between July 2024 and April 2026. Prosecutors say they targeted older Americans through dating websites and social media platforms, using fake identities to build close personal — often romantic — relationships with victims.
Investigators allege that victims were manipulated through fabricated stories and persuaded to send money via wire transfers to accounts controlled by members of the conspiracy. Portions of the funds were allegedly transferred to co-conspirators in Ghana and other locations.
Authorities say several related cases involving Ghana-linked fraud conspiracies targeting elderly victims have been assigned to a single U.S. District Judge to streamline proceedings. While a number of defendants are still awaiting trial or sentencing, nine individuals have already pleaded guilty and collectively received nearly 50 years in prison sentences.
In United States v. Frederick Kumi, aka Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng, aka Abu Trica, and Daniel Yussif, aka Denteni, aka Slab, Frederick Kumi, 31, of Swedru, Ghana, and Daniel 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., the following defendants are currently serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy:
- Dwayne Asafo Adjei, 29, a Ghanaian national, was sentenced to 71 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $372,943 in restitution.
- Nancy Adom, 30, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, received 71 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $1,079,559 in restitution.
- Eric Aidoo, 46, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $668,228 in restitution.
Another defendant, Nader Wasif, 31, of Brentwood, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to Obstruction of Justice and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay $172,644 in restitution.
Authorities also confirmed that Kelvin Asmah, 28, a Ghanaian citizen, was recently arrested after being charged in a second superseding indictment.
In United States v. Otuo Amponsah, et al., the following defendants are serving prison sentences after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy:
- Otuo Amponsah, 34, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $3,324,675 in restitution.
- Portia Joe, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, received 51 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $2,035,438 in restitution.
- Anna Amponsah, 35, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,444,639 in restitution.
- Dwayne Asafo Adjei, 29, a Ghanaian national, received another 71-month sentence, to run concurrently with the sentence imposed in U.S. v. Abuanekwu et al.
- Hannah Adom, 27, of Akron and Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 71 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $278,894 in restitution.
Another defendant in the case, Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
Prosecutors noted that, if convicted, the sentences for the current defendants will be determined by the court after considering factors including criminal history, roles in the alleged offences, and the nature of the violations.
The investigation was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, with significant support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer acknowledged the assistance of several international and U.S. agencies, including Ghana’s Attorney General’s Office, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Cyber Security Authority, the Ghana Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre, the Ghana Immigration Service, and the Ghana National Intelligence Bureau.
U.S. agencies involved in the investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Sensitive Investigation Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI Washington Field Office, the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brian M. McDonough and Elliot Morrison are leading the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Authorities stressed that an indictment is only an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation and prosecution form part of the Elder Justice Initiative Program established under the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017 (EAPPA), which focuses on combating elder abuse, financial fraud, neglect, and scams targeting older people in the United States.
