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Ghanaian influencer Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia 4Real, has admitted guilt in a case involving the laundering of funds from romance scams. The U.S. Department of Justice announced her guilty plea on Wednesday, February 21, for conspiracy to receive stolen money, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
According to court documents, from 2013 to 2019, Montrage was part of a criminal enterprise based in West Africa that perpetrated various frauds against individuals and businesses in the U.S., including romance scams. These scams often targeted vulnerable, older individuals, deceiving them into believing they were in romantic relationships with fake identities. Once trust was established, victims were convinced to transfer money to bank accounts controlled by the enterprise.
Montrage, known for her Instagram profile "Hajia4Real," received funds from several victims of romance fraud, tricked into sending money under false pretenses. This included payments for transporting gold to the U.S., resolving fake FBI investigations, and assisting a fictitious U.S. Army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan. Overall, Montrage controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the enterprise.
The 31-year-old socialite pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Additionally, she agreed to pay forfeiture in the amount of $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount. Montrage is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty.
In response to the case, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated that Montrage knowingly received money stolen from older Americans through romance scams and now faces serious consequences. He highlighted the harm caused to victims, not just in the betrayal of trust but also in the theft of their money. Williams reaffirmed the commitment of law enforcement to bring to justice fraudsters targeting Americans.
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