Popular Ghanaian figure on social media and in social circles, Hajia4Real, has admitted her involvement in receiving proceeds from romance scams, as revealed by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, in a recent announcement. Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia 4Real, pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive stolen money before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
In a press statement released earlier today, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “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. Romance scams such as Montrage’s harmed her vulnerable, elderly victims not only in the cruel betrayal of trust in the realization that their online romantic connection was fiction, but by also callously stealing their money. This Office and our law enforcement partners are relentless in bringing fraudsters who target Americans to justice, no matter where they are.”
According to the allegations outlined in the indictment and public filings, from approximately 2013 to 2019, Montrage was part of a criminal group based in West Africa that carried out various fraudulent activities targeting individuals and businesses in the United States, including romance scams. These scams predominantly targeted vulnerable older individuals, often living alone, who were deceived into believing they were in romantic relationships with fictitious personas created by the members of the criminal enterprise.
Once trust was established, victims were persuaded, under false pretenses, to transfer funds to bank accounts controlled by the perpetrators, believing they were assisting their romantic partners. Montrage, who gained fame as an influencer through her Instagram profile boasting millions of followers, received money from several victims deceived by the romance scams orchestrated by the criminal group.
The funds received by Montrage totaled over $2 million, derived from fraudulent activities perpetrated by the criminal enterprise. She has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Additionally, she has agreed to forfeit $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount. Montrage is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty, with the final sentencing determined by the judge based on the guidelines set by Congress.
