Two Ghanaian twin brothers who pleaded guilty to their involvement in a massive $9 million international romance fraud scheme have agreed to surrender expensive jewelry and luxury accessories seized by American investigators.
The brothers, Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, both 22, popularly known as Arrangement and Lancaster, respectively, admitted participating in an international criminal network that defrauded unsuspecting victims, particularly elderly Americans.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the twins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on October 13, 2026, before a federal court in Ohio.
Their accomplice, Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, 53, a resident of Kula, Hawaii, also pleaded guilty to the same offense on October 20.
As part of their plea agreements, all three defendants agreed to forfeit valuable personal belongings confiscated during their arrests.
The seized items include luxury wristwatches, expensive rings, necklaces, chains, medallions and earrings. Authorities have not publicly established the purchase history of every item.
Federal prosecutors revealed that the criminal operation ran between July 2024 and April 2026, using sophisticated online deception to steal millions of dollars from victims across the United States and Europe.
Investigators say members of the network created fake identities on dating websites and social media platforms, pretending to establish genuine romantic relationships with unsuspecting individuals.
After gaining their victims’ trust, the scammers allegedly fabricated emotional stories and financial emergencies to persuade them to transfer money into bank accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Some of the stolen funds were subsequently transferred to accomplices in Ghana and other countries.
The criminal operation reportedly affected victims in 25 American states, Germany and Austria, with total financial losses exceeding $9 million.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Cleveland Division, with significant cooperation from Ghanaian law enforcement institutions, including the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), Ghana Police Service, Cyber Security Authority and the Attorney-General’s Office.
The twin brothers now face the possibility of spending up to 20 years behind bars, although their actual sentences will be determined by a federal judge.
Jamal and Kamal are scheduled for sentencing on February 9, 2027, while Opoku-Boachie will appear for sentencing on February 10.
The case highlights growing international efforts to combat online romance scams and recover assets associated with financial crimes.
