Ghanaian socialite-cum-singer Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall, has pleaded guilty over her involvement in a $2 million romance scam. She is due for sentencing, and already her lawyer is pleading for leniency on her behalf.
Background of the Case
Hajia4Reall was arrested in the UK on November 10, 2022, in connection with a romance scam. She was extradited on May 12, 2023, to the US on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. The offences attract up to 20 years of imprisonment on each count.
In February 2024, she pleaded guilty to laundering the proceeds of romance scams that defrauded older Americans. Victims were made to believe they were in love with Hajia4Reall and were persuaded to transfer money into her bank accounts, all controlled by members of the Enterprise, a West African-based criminal organisation.
Plea for Leniency
Howevev, the lawyer for Hajia4Reall begged the judge for leniency, asking that she be handed a three-month jail sentence and afterwards deported to Ghana. The lawyer stated that Hajia4Reall had been convinced to do the crime by some fraud syndicate and pointed at the role of her actions as a mother who has to take good care of her daughter.
It is backed by a bonanza of letters and documents before the court, begging for leniency. These documents foreground Hajia4Reall’s cooperation with the authorities to the effect that she is willing to pay restitution for her crimes.
The Stance of the Prosecution
Moving on, the prosecution has harped on the fact that Hajia4Reall’s crimes were those that specifically targeted unsuspecting elderly Americans. The former was led to believe she was in romantic relationships with the latter, who was then conned into making money available to Hajia4Reall’s bank accounts.
The prosecution also underlined how the scams had affected the victims, all of whom had lost financially and emotionally because of these frauds. The prosecution is pleading for a longer jail term on this count by citing the grievous nature of her crimes.
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