Influencer Mona Montrage Faces 75 Years Jail Term In US – Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall has been indicted on six counts related to her involvement in a series of romance scams and money laundering.
The charges were unsealed by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll who happens to be the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI.
Miss Montrage was arrested in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2022, and subsequently extradited to the United States on May 12, 2023. She will appear before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty, who is assigned to the case.
According to the indictment and other public records, Montrage was a member of a criminal enterprise based in West Africa that carried out various frauds, including romance scams, targeting individuals and businesses in the United States.
The romance scams primarily targeted vulnerable elderly individuals who lived alone. The enterprise would deceive victims by sending them emails, text messages, and social media messages, creating fake identities to establish romantic relationships.
Once trust was gained, the victims were persuaded, under false pretenses, to transfer money to bank accounts controlled by members of the criminal enterprise.
Hajia4Real who happens to be a Ghanaian public figure, and Instagram influencer, received money from several victims who were tricked into sending funds as part of the romance frauds. The false pretenses used to induce victims included claims of transporting gold, resolving fake FBI investigations, and assisting a fake U.S. Army officer in receiving funds.
In one case, Montrage used her real name, spoke with the victim on multiple occasions, and even provided a tribal marriage certificate purporting to show that she and the victim were married in Ghana.
It was revealed that the victim reportedly sent Hajia4Real a whopping amount which is said to be approximately $89,000 and this was done through 82 wire transfers.
In total, Hajia4Real’s controlled bank accounts received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the criminal enterprise.
The charges against Montrage include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, receipt of stolen money, and conspiracy to receive stolen money. If convicted, she could face maximum prison sentences ranging from five to 20 years.
The FBI, along with other law enforcement agencies and international cooperation, conducted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Mitzi Steiner and Kevin Mead serving as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in charge of the prosecution. It’s important to note that these charges are accusations, and Montrage is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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