Older Americans looking for romance online were allegedly pulled into fake relationships with fictitious women, false stories, and artificial intelligence-driven video platforms before sending money by wire transfer, federal prosecutors said.
The Justice Department said the alleged romance-fraud operation involved more than $15 million in losses and more than 130 victims across the United States. Prosecutors said the defendants targeted older Americans on dating websites and social media platforms from about July 2024 to April 2026.
The case was included in a wider DOJ announcement on fraud enforcement in Ohio. Three defendants were ordered detained this week, and two others are awaiting extradition from Ghana, according to the department.
DOJ also said search and arrest operations in Ghana led to seized assets estimated at more than $3 million, including a Lamborghini, a Tesla Cybertruck, a Mercedes-Benz, and a BMW.
Prosecutors Say Fake Female Personas Led to Wire Transfers
The Justice Department identified the three detained defendants as Jamal Abubakari, also known as Jamal Abubakar and Arrangement, 22, of Accra, Ghana; Kamal Abubakari, also known as Kamal Abubakar and Lancaster, 22, of Accra, Ghana; and Amanda Joy Opoku-Boachie, also known as Amanda Joy Glum and Amanda Joy Kessei Bierman, 53.
Frederick Kumi, also known as Emmanuel Kojo Baah Obeng and Abu Trica, 31, of Swedru, Ghana, and Daniel Yussif, also known as Denteni and Slab, 31, of Accra, Ghana, are awaiting extradition, DOJ said.
According to allegations in three indictments, the defendants used fictitious female personas to engage victims under false identities. Prosecutors said victims were misled by false stories and sent money by wire transfer to financial accounts controlled by members of the alleged conspiracy.
DOJ said portions of the money were then transferred to co-conspirators in Ghana and elsewhere.
The AI Video Allegation Is the Sharpest Part of the Case
Romance-fraud cases often involve fake names, stolen photos, and long-distance relationships that never move into real life. The allegation here goes further. DOJ said the defendants used “advanced techniques including artificial intelligence-driven video platforms” while engaging victims under fictitious female personas.
That detail gives the case a more modern warning sign. The alleged relationships were not built only through messages or profile pictures, according to prosecutors. The government says AI-driven video platforms were part of how victims were engaged before money moved.
The Northern District of Ohio said in May that an indictment had been unsealed in United States v. Jamal Abubakari, et al., charging Jamal Abubakari, Kamal Abubakari, and Opoku-Boachie with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. All three were arrested in Virginia and remained in custody pending further court proceedings, prosecutors said at the time.
The June DOJ announcement added the broader $15 million figure, the more than 130 victims, the AI-driven video platform allegation, and the seized-asset list.
A 74-Year-Old Victim Reportedly Lost $1.1 Million
The New York Post reported that one 74-year-old victim lost $1.1 million after trying to help a fake love interest obtain supposedly inherited gems.
The Post also reported that alleged social-media images showed luxury items, including a red Lamborghini, and shirts reading “Business is Business.” Those details were reported by the Post and were not all laid out in DOJ’s press release.
DOJ did confirm the seized-asset list. The department said assets seized in Ghana were estimated at more than $3 million and included a Lamborghini, Tesla Cybertruck, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
The Case Is Tied to a Broader Elder-Fraud Push
The Northern District of Ohio said the investigation and prosecution are connected to the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative, which focuses on elder abuse, neglect, financial fraud, and scams targeting older Americans.
The Ohio case is also part of a broader group of Ghana-linked romance-fraud prosecutions assigned to one federal judge for coordinated proceedings. The Northern District of Ohio said in May that nine defendants in related matters had already pleaded guilty and been collectively sentenced to approximately 50 years in prison.
The investigation leading to the indictments was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and multiple U.S. and Ghanaian agencies, prosecutors said.
Federal Agencies Have Warned About AI Romance Scams
The FTC warned in February that romance scams can be harder to spot with AI and other technology. The agency lists several red flags: someone online cannot meet in person, asks for money, and tells the victim to pay by wire transfer, gift card, payment app, or cryptocurrency.
The FBI’s San Francisco office issued a separate February warning that criminals are using AI to generate realistic photos, videos, and voice messages, along with emotionally persuasive communications that mimic real relationships.
In the Ohio case, prosecutors said victims believed false stories, formed online relationships, and sent money by wire transfer. The FTC says people who suspect a romance scam should cut off contact, talk to someone they trust, and check whether the person’s image or story appears elsewhere online.
An indictment is only an allegation. DOJ said all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.