Ghanaian socialite and musician Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia4Reall, is expected to be released today from the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia after serving a one-year and one-day prison sentence.
According to publicly available information from the US Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator, the 32-year-old Ghanaian will be released on May 22, 2025.
Her sentence followed her conviction for conspiracy to receive stolen money in connection with a West Africa-based criminal enterprise involved in romance scams and internet fraud.
Montrage, a public figure who rose to prominence through her Instagram profile “Hajia4Reall,” with over 3.4 million followers, was extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States in May 2023.
She pleaded guilty in February 2024 and was sentenced on June 28, 2024, by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York stated that Montrage was part of an organisation that defrauded vulnerable, older Americans of more than $2 million.
She personally received funds from about forty victims, deposited into U.S.-based bank accounts under false pretences.
Among the claims used to deceive victims were payments for transporting gold, resolving a fictitious FBI investigation, and assisting a fake U.S. Army officer to access funds.
Montrage controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent proceeds. She was sentenced to three years of supervised release in addition to her prison term and was ordered to forfeit $216,475 and pay restitution of $1,387,458.
According to court filings, the sentencing judge approved a return timeline to Ghana proposed by her legal team. Her lawyers told the court that she was prepared to start afresh and contribute positively to society upon her return.
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