Influencer extradited to US in $2M romance rip-off focusing on older, single People
A Ghanaian social media influencer has been extradited from the UK to the US for allegedly swindling over $2 million from older, single American women and men in a twisted lonely hearts rip-off, federal prosecutors mentioned Monday.
Mona Faiz Montrage, 30, of Accra, Ghana was set to look in Manhattan federal court docket on Monday for her alleged involvement in a sequence of romance schemes focusing on older individuals who lived alone, prosecutors mentioned.
Montrage — who had round 3.4 million Instagram followers of her web page Hajia4Reall at one level — from a minimum of 2013 by means of 2019 was concerned with a bunch of con artists from West Africa who assumed pretend identities to trick folks into considering they have been in relationships with them utilizing emails, texts and social media messages, the feds mentioned.
The scammers would then get the victims to switch cash to them below false pretenses — equivalent to to assist transfer gold to the US from abroad, to resolve bogus FBI investigations and funds to assist pretend US military officers in Afghanistan, court docket papers allege.
Montrage, in a single case, allegedly duped a sufferer into sending her $89,000 by means of 82 wire transfers on the pretext of serving to her father’s farm in Ghana, the court docket paperwork declare.
She tricked the particular person into believing the pair have been married by sending them a tribal marriage certificates after a sequence of telephone conversations utilizing her actual identification, the submitting alleges.
Montrage additionally acquired cash from a number of others who have been swindled by scammers in her community, prosecutors allege.
In complete, Montrage netted $2 million in funds the group ripped off from victims to financial institution accounts she had in The Bronx and elsewhere, together with one opened within the identify of 4Reall Designs, a supposed clothes firm.
She then allegedly laundered the stolen cash to different members of the enterprise, the indictment prices.
“As alleged, Mona Faiz Montrage was a member of a prison conspiracy that particularly focused older People by means of romance scams,” Manhattan US Lawyer Damian Williams mentioned in a press release. “These scams may be each financially and emotionally devastating for susceptible victims.”
“Due to the efforts of our legislation enforcement companions, Montrage was arrested overseas and has been dropped at the US to face justice,” the assertion continued.
The social media influencer — who’s Instagram account was among the many prime ten most adopted in Ghana –was arrested on Nov. 10, 2022 within the UK for the alleged conspiracy and dropped at the US on Friday.
Montrage is charged with wire fraud, cash laundering, receipt of stolen cash and conspiracy. She faces as much as 20 years in jail if convicted on the highest cost.
Montrage’s lawyer Adam Cortez informed The Publish: “Right now all we all know is that there are six alleged victims and solely two handled a girl and solely certainly one of them claims that he handled Ms. Montrage.”
Cortez mentioned he couldn’t remark additional till he receives extra data and proof from prosecutors.