US Names Ghana Authorities That Helped Convict Twin Brothers Lancaster and Arrangement
- The US Department of Justice named eight Ghanaian government bodies that assisted in the prosecution of twins Jamal and Kamal Abubakari, known as Arrangement and Lancaster
- The Abubakari brothers and American co-conspirator Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud targeting elderly Americans
- Victims across 25 US states and in Germany and Austria collectively lost more than $9 million to the romance fraud scheme
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Twin brothers Jamal Abubakari and Kamal Abubakari, known by their aliases Arrangement and Lancaster respectively, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a romance fraud network that stole more than $9 million from victims, mostly elderly Americans.
Source: UGC
The US Department of Justice announced the development on October 26, 2026. The brothers, both 22, entered their guilty pleas on October 13, 2026.
Their American co-conspirator, Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, 53, of Kula, Hawaii, followed suit on October 20, 2026.
How the scheme targeted elderly victims
According to court documents, the defendants and their co-conspirators operated the scheme from approximately July 2024 to April 2026.
They created fake personas on dating websites and social media platforms to cultivate close, often romantic, relationships with older Americans.
Once trust was established through fabricated personal stories, victims were persuaded to wire money to accounts under the conspirators' control.
The conspirators then transferred a portion of those funds to accomplices in Ghana and other countries.
Victims were based primarily in northern Ohio, including Edgarton in Williams County, but the scheme extended across 24 other US states as well as Germany and Austria.
As part of their plea agreements, all three defendants consented to the forfeiture of jewellery seized at the time of their arrests, including luxury watches, rings, chains, medallions, and earrings.
Each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Sentencing for the Abubakari brothers is scheduled for 9 February 2027, with Opoku-Boachie set to be sentenced on 10 February 2027.
The Facebook post below provides more details on the arrest of the Ghanaian twin brothers, Lancaster and Arrangement.
Ghana authorities credited for their role
US Attorney David M. Toepfer formally acknowledged the contributions of several Ghanaian institutions in bringing the case to prosecution.
The following eight Ghanaian bodies were listed:
1. Ghana Attorney General's Office
2. EOCO – Economic Organised Crime Office
3. GPS – Ghana Police Service
4. Ghana Cyber Security Authority
5. NACOC – Ghana Narcotics Control Commission
6. Ghana Financial Intelligence Centre
7. Ghana Immigration Service
8. Ghana National Intelligence Bureau
American agencies including the FBI Cleveland Division, the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI Legal Attaché Office in Accra also contributed to the investigation.
The prosecution falls under the Elder Justice Initiative, a programme established by the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act of 2017, which directs the Department of Justice to combat financial fraud and scams targeting elderly Americans.
Source: Facebook
Ghanaian Minister challenges FBI over fraudster arrests
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Ghana's Communications Minister Sam George is not too happy with how the US reported the recent arrests in Ghana in a crackdown on fraudsters.
In a message to FBI Director Kash Patel, George held that Ghana had not gotten due credit for the arrests.
In a statement on X, the minister said Ghanaian law enforcement and intelligence led the Cyberhunt operations, with primary support from the UK.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
