In a high-profile case that has drawn international attention, Ghanaian socialite and singer Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall, has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison in the United States.
This sentence comes after her involvement in a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $2 million.
Hajia4Reall’s legal troubles began on November 11, 2022, when she was arrested in the United Kingdom after attending the Ghana Music Awards UK.
She was extradited to the US in May 2023, where she faced multiple charges related to romance scams and other fraudulent activities.
In February 2024, Montrage pleaded guilty to the charges, initially facing a potential five-year prison sentence. However, after more than a year of legal proceedings, she was sentenced on Friday, June 28, to one year and one day in prison.
The additional day in her sentence is designed to allow for “good time” under the US penal system, potentially reducing her time behind bars for good behavior.
According to Inner City Press, the prosecution had sought a 37-month sentence for Montrage, but the judge opted for leniency. “I sentence Ms. Montrage to one year and one day in prison, the extra day to allow ‘good time,'” the judge stated.
Further details of the romance scam case reveal that Hajia4Reall and her accomplices used fake identities and false promises of love and relationships to lure their victims, primarily targeting vulnerable individuals.
The scam involved intricate schemes to extract large sums of money from the victims, often under the guise of urgent financial needs or fabricated emergencies.
Hajia4Reall, known for her glamorous lifestyle and social media presence, will now face a period of incarceration, a stark contrast to her previous public image.