A 38-year-old Houston-area woman could face up to 20 years in prison for her role in a nationwide romance scam.

The woman, Akua Duffy, of Richmond, Virginia, is accused of acting as a money mule along with 39-year-old accomplice Kenneth Arnim.

Duffy and Arnim ran private companies from 2014 to 2019 and ran various mail and wire fraud schemes, including Internet fraud and romance scams.

The two opened and maintained bank accounts to collect money from the scams, which they then sent to their own private accounts, other co-conspirators and people overseas, prosecutors said.

Anim, a dual citizen of Ghana and the United States, is currently in federal custody awaiting trial on those charges.

If convicted, both men face up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $500,000.

Mr. Duffy is expected to appear before a judge Tuesday afternoon.