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Ghana Influencer Mona Faiz Montrage ‘Hajia4Reall’ Pleads Guilty In U.S. Court To Romance Scams

Ghana Influencer Guilty of Involvement In Ghana Romance Scams

Author:
• SCARS Editorial Team – Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

About This Article

Ghanaian influencer and musician Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall, has confessed to her involvement in a string of romance scams, leading to the illicit acquisition of over $2 million, as disclosed by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The 31-year-old, once revered as a leading Instagram influencer with a following exceeding 3 million, was linked to a West African criminal syndicate orchestrating fraudulent activities targeting individuals and enterprises in the United States.

Exploiting vulnerable elderly individuals, the syndicate employed fictitious identities to establish sham romantic relationships, persuading victims to transfer funds to accounts managed by the perpetrators.

Montrage, having admitted to conspiring to receive stolen money, faces a potential five-year incarceration and has consented to forfeit over $2 million, committing to restitution in the same amount. This development marks a significant milestone in seeking justice for the victims impacted by the scam.

Ghana Influencer Mona Faiz Montrage 'Hajia4Reall' Pleads Guilty In U.S. Court To Romance Scams - 2024

Ghanaian Influencer Mona Faiz Montrage ‘Hajia4Reall’ Pleads Guilty in $2,000,000 Romance Scam Case in U.S. Court

Ghanaian influencer and musician, Mona Faiz Montrage, known as Hajia4Reall, has admitted guilt in her involvement in a series of romance scams, resulting in the receipt of over $2 million in fraudulent funds, as announced by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The 31-year-old ‘Hajia4Reall’, once a prominent Instagram influencer with over 3 million followers, was part of a West African (Ghana) criminal scammer group engaging in fraudulent activities targeting individuals and businesses in the United States.

Exploiting vulnerable, solitary older individuals, the group assumed fake identities, establishing fake romantic relationships to convince victims to transfer money to accounts controlled by the criminals. Montrage (‘Hajia4Reall’,) having pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive stolen money, faces a potential five-year prison term and has agreed to forfeit over $2 million, making restitution in the same amount.

This is very good news for the scam victims in this case! Not only was there a conviction, but the US$2 million recovered will help them get some of their money back.

According to the U.S. Attorney:

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea today of MONA FAIZ MONTRAGE (‘Hajia4Reall’) for her role in laundering the proceeds of a series of romance scams. MONTRAGE pled guilty today to conspiracy to receive stolen money before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Mona Faiz Montrage (also know as ‘Hajia4Reall’) 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.”

As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:

From at least in or about 2013 through in or about 2019, MONTRAGE (‘Hajia4Reall’) was a member of a criminal enterprise (the “Enterprise”) based in West Africa that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses in the U.S., including romance scams.

Many of the Enterprise’s romance scam victims were vulnerable, older men and women who lived alone. The Enterprise frequently conducted the romance scams by sending the victims emails, text messages, and social media messages that deceived the victims into believing that they were in romantic relationships with a person who was, in fact, a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise. Once members of the Enterprise had successfully convinced victims that they were in a romantic relationship and had gained their trust, they convinced the victims, under false pretenses, to transfer money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when, in fact, the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise.

MONTRAGE is a Ghanaian public figure who rose to fame as an influencer through her Instagram profile under the username “Hajia4Reall,” which at one point had approximately 3.4 million Instagram followers and was among the top 10 profiles with the most followers in Ghana.

MONTRAGE received money from several victims of romance frauds who members of the Enterprise tricked into sending money. Among the false pretenses used to induce victims to send money to MONTRAGE were payments to transport gold to the U.S. from overseas payments to resolve a fake FBI investigation, and payments to assist a fake U.S. Army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.

In total, MONTRAGE controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.

* * *

MONTRAGE, 31, of Accra, Ghana, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. MONTRAGE also agreed to pay forfeiture in the amount of $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.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mitzi Steiner and Kevin Mead are in charge of the prosecution.

Mona Faiz Montrage ‘Hajia4Reall’ Photo Album

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Mona Faiz Montrage 'Hajia4Reall' - A Ghana Influencer Pleads Guilty In U.S. Court To Romance Scams - 2024

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Published On: February 24th, 2024Last Updated: February 24th, 2024Categories: • CRIMES & CRIMINALS, 2024, GHANA, NEWS, SCARS Institute Editorial Team, USATags: Ghana Influencer, Hajia4Reall, Mona Faiz Montrage0 CommentsTotal Views: 558Daily Views: 11043 words5.3 min read

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Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

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Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.

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A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

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