Ghanaian socialite and influencer Mona Faiz Montrage, also referred to as Hajia 4 Real, has responded to the latest court decision pertaining to her case at the Southern District of New York, in collaboration with her legal team.
Hajia 4 Real admitted to accepting fraud proceeds from romance scams and accepted responsibility for her actions in 2019 in a statement issued by her legal counsel. Her past deeds do not define who she is now, the legal team stressed.
The court decision explained Mona Faiz Montrage’s guilty plea to conspiracy to collect stolen money in connection with romance scams, as stated in a statement made by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. In the statement, the harm done to elderly and vulnerable victims of romance scams run by a West African-based criminal organization was brought to light.
Court records disclosed that Mona Faiz Montrage, who gained notoriety as “Hajia 4 Real,” an influencer on Instagram, accepted payments from multiple victims of romantic scams carried out by the illicit organization. Among the false pretenses used to coerce victims were promises of compensation for moving gold, clearing up fictional FBI investigations, and helping a fictitious U.S. Army officer obtain funding.
Montrage, who faces a maximum term of five years in jail, acknowledged guilt to one count of conspiracy to receive stolen money. The court further specified that she must pay $2,164,758.41 in forfeiture and provide the same amount in restitution. Judge Paul A. Crotty of the United States District Court is slated to administer the sentence.
