US-Based Prosecutor and Supreme Court Attorney Affirms FBI’s Pursuit of Romance Scam Suspects
Lawyer Ebenezer Apiagyei, a US-based prosecutor and Supreme Court attorney, has emphasized that individuals involved in the romance scam saga will not escape the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He stated that those who collaborated with Hajia 4Reall in defrauding people should not assume they have evaded detection, as they will be apprehended once investigations are concluded. Apiagyei highlighted the thoroughness of investigations conducted by the FBI, citing previous cases where individuals were indicted and investigated for several years. He expressed confidence in the availability of substantial evidence against the suspects, suggesting that the case may not even reach trial. Lawyer Ebenezer Apiagyei shared these insights during an interview with Frank Ntiamoah Williams, as monitored by priningonline.
Background
Ghanaian social media influencer, Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall, is officially the subject of a six-count charge in a Manhattan Federal Court, the United State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed in a May 15, 2023 statement.
The socialite was extradited from the United Kingdom to the US for allegedly swindling older, single American men and women in a romance scam to the tune of over US$2 million.
According to the statement, Mona4Reallappeared in court on Monday, May 15, 2023, for her alleged involvement in a series of schemes that targeted vulnerable people who lived alone.
The New York Post news portal stated that the socialite pleaded not guilty to the charges, and is set to be released in the coming days on a $500,000 bond with GPS tracking via an ankle monitor.
Her lawyer, Adam Cortez, confirmed to The Post that Mona received money from several others who were swindled by scammers in her network, and that she is charged with wire fraud, money laundering, receipt of stolen money, and conspiracy.
If convicted on the top charge, Montrage could face up to 20 years in prison.
According to court documents, she was involved with a group of con artists from West Africa from at least 2013 through 2019.
The scammers would trick victims into transferring money to them under false pretences, such as to help move gold to the US from overseas, to resolve bogus FBI investigations, and payments to help fake US Army officers in Afghanistan.
Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement shared by the New York Post said, “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, Montrage was arrested abroad and has been brought to the United States to face justice. These scams can be both financially and emotionally devastating for vulnerable victims.”
Cortez said his client can only travel in certain parts of New York and New Jersey pending her case.
Watch the interview below
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