By: Issah Olegor
Ghanaian socialite and musician Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall or Mona 4Reall, has been released from the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, United States, after serving a sentence of one year and one day.
However, her legal battle is far from over as she now faces significant financial penalties and supervised release following her involvement in a transnational romance fraud scheme.
Mona’s sentencing marks a dramatic fall from grace for the influencer, once celebrated in Ghana’s entertainment circles for her music, fashion, and social media presence.
According to documents filed by U.S. prosecutors, between 2013 and 2019, she played a key role in an elaborate online fraud network targeting vulnerable individuals through romance scams.
Fraud Scheme
The U.S. Department of Justice detailed how Hajia4Reall and her accomplices lured their victims using fake online personas.
The fraud involved deceptive stories about gold shipments, fictitious FBI investigations, and pleas for financial help supposedly linked to a U.S.
Through these deceitful narratives, the group extracted large sums of money from unsuspecting victims across the United States.
In February 2024, Mona pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive stolen funds, admitting her involvement in the criminal enterprise.
Initially, she agreed to a restitution and forfeiture amount of over US$2.1 million.
However, during her final sentencing in June 2024, the U.S. court revised the restitution figure to US$1,387,458—an amount designated to compensate approximately 40 victims of her fraud victims.
She was also ordered to forfeit US$216,475, representing her direct earnings from the scam.
Post-Release Conditions
Beyond monetary penalties, the court imposed a three-year supervised release period on Hajia4Reall.
During this time, her activities will be closely monitored by U.S. authorities to ensure compliance with the terms of her sentencing.
The supervised release will include conditions to prevent further fraudulent behavior and guarantee payment of the restitution amount.
Popular Ghanaian blogger Ebenezer Donkoh, who shared updates about the case on social media, emphasized that the U.S. government remains committed to ensuring Mona fulfills all aspects of her sentence, including the financial obligations.
