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Ghanaian social media influencer Hajia 4Reall, whose real name is Mona Faiz Montrage, has been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States. US federal prosecutors stated on May 15, 2023, that she is accused of defrauding over $2 million from older, single American men and women through a deceptive romance scam. The 30-year-old influencer appeared in Manhattan federal court on the same day to face charges related to her involvement in a series of romance schemes targeting vulnerable individuals who lived alone.
Hajia 4Reall pleaded not guilty to the charges and will be released on home detention in her aunt’s New Jersey residence in the coming days, pending a $500,000 bond. She will be monitored via a GPS ankle monitor. According to prosecutors, from 2013 to 2019, Hajia 4Reall collaborated with a group of con artists from West Africa who assumed fake identities to deceive people into believing they were in romantic relationships through emails, texts, and social media messages.
The scammers would then manipulate their victims into transferring money under false pretenses, such as helping in moving gold from overseas, resolving fictitious FBI investigations, and aiding fake US Army officers in Afghanistan. In one case, Hajia 4Reall allegedly convinced a victim to send her $89,000 through 82 wire transfers, falsely claiming the funds would support her father’s farm in Ghana. To further deceive the victim, she sent them a tribal marriage certificate after engaging in phone conversations using her real identity.
Prosecutors also allege 4Reall received money from several other victims who scammers in her network swindled. She allegedly deposited the stolen funds, totaling $2 million, into bank accounts she controlled, including one under the name of a supposed clothing company called 4Reall Designs. She is accused of laundering the stolen money to other members of the criminal enterprise.
US Attorney Damian Williams emphasized the devastating impact of romance scams on vulnerable victims. He praised the collaboration of law enforcement agencies that led to Hajia 4Reall’s arrest abroad and her subsequent extradition to the United States. The influencer, who had amassed a substantial following on Instagram, was arrested in the UK on November 10, 2022, and transported to the US on May 12, 2023.
Hajia 4Reall faces charges of wire fraud, money laundering, receipt of stolen money, and conspiracy. She could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the top charge. Her attorney, Adam Cortez, stated there are six alleged victims, with only two involving a woman and only one claiming to have interacted with Ms. Montrage. Cortez refrained from commenting further until receiving more information and evidence from prosecutors.
Hajia 4Reall’s travel is confined to certain parts of New York and New Jersey as her case proceeds.
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Resource: Omanghana.com
