Ghanaian social media sensation, Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia4Reall, has entered a guilty plea in connection with a $2 million romance scam, as confirmed by the United States Attorney's Office. The socialite pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money, carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Hajia4Reall, who was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom in May 2023, is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty at a later date. The guilty plea involves an agreement to pay forfeiture for $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, stated, “Mona Faiz Montrage knowingly received money stolen from older Americans through romance scams and was arrested abroad and now faces serious consequences for her actions.” He emphasized the impact of the romance scam on vulnerable elderly victims who were deceived into believing false romantic connections online.
The Mona Faiz Montrage (Hajia4Reall) Case:
Hajia4Reall, a prominent social media influencer, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, both carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years, along with charges related to the receipt and conspiracy to receive stolen money with sentences of up to 10 and 5 years, respectively.
The prosecution alleged that from 2013 to 2019, Hajia4Reall was part of a criminal enterprise based in Ghana involved in defrauding individuals and businesses in the United States. The enterprise primarily conducted romance scams, convincing victims of fake romantic relationships and deceiving them into transferring money.
Victims were manipulated through various false pretences, including transporting gold to the U.S., resolving fake FBI investigations, and assisting a fictional U.S. Army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan. The funds, totalling over $2 million, were transferred to bank accounts controlled by the criminal enterprise, including those under Hajia4Reall's control.
Initially pleading not guilty to all charges in May 2023, Hajia4Reall later expressed confidence in her vindication in a now-deleted Instagram post on June 26, 2023.
The guilty plea signals a significant development in the case, with the sentencing phase awaiting a decision by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty.