Hajia4Reall, whose real name is Mona Faiz Montrage, has been at the center of a notorious romance scam that began in 2013. Recently, detailed information about her arrest in the UK and subsequent extradition to the US has been released by authorities. It seems that the latest revelations align with earlier speculations when she was initially apprehended at Heathrow Airport in London on November 10, 2022.
After spending six months in the custody of UK authorities, Montrage was handed over to US authorities on May 12, 2023. She appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Monday to face charges related to her alleged involvement in a series of fraud schemes, amounting to millions of dollars.
Federal prosecutors claim that Montrage swindled over $2 million from older, single American men and women through a deceitful lonely hearts scam. She stands accused of engaging in various criminal activities, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering, receipt of stolen money, and conspiracy to receive stolen money. If convicted, each of these charges carries a maximum sentence ranging from five to 20 years in prison.
According to court papers, Montrage's fraudulent activities took place between 2013 and 2019. She operated as part of a group of con artists from West Africa who utilized fake identities to deceive individuals into believing they were in romantic relationships with them. They employed methods such as emails, texts, and social media messages to manipulate their victims. Once trust was established, the scammers would convince their targets to send money under false pretexts. These pretexts included helping to transport gold from overseas to the US, resolving fictitious FBI investigations, and providing financial aid to fake US Army officers stationed in Afghanistan.
In one specific case, Montrage allegedly deceived a victim into sending her $89,000 through 82 wire transfers, falsely claiming that the funds were intended to support her father's farm in Ghana. To further deceive the victim, Montrage sent them a tribal marriage certificate, suggesting that the two were married in Ghana. Court papers indicate that Montrage received funds from several other victims who fell victim to her network of scammers.
In total, Montrage managed to accumulate over $2 million in illicit funds, which she deposited into bank accounts she held in the Bronx and other locations. She even opened an account under the name of 4Reall Designs, a fictitious clothing company. Furthermore, she is alleged to have engaged in money laundering, channeling the stolen money to other members of the criminal syndicate.
In conclusion, the arrest and subsequent court proceedings have shed light on the extensive fraud perpetrated by Hajia4Reall, also known as Mona Faiz Montrage. Through a network of scammers, she exploited vulnerable individuals, particularly older, single Americans, in a romance scam that spanned several years. The charges against her carry severe penalties, with the possibility of a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
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