Musician, Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall, received a sentence of one year and one day in an American court on June 28, 2024, following her extradition from the United Kingdom for involvement in a romance fraud case that began in 2023.
During the sentencing, Montrage’s lawyers sought a three-month jail term, citing her status as a mother with no prior criminal record.
In contrast, prosecutors argued for a longer sentence to deter similar crimes, pointing out that she had operated the scheme for six years, leading to losses totaling $1.4 million for 32 victims.
The court proceedings revealed that Montrage’s defense mentioned her history of abuse by a former boyfriend as a mitigating factor, while the prosecution highlighted her role in setting up multiple bank accounts to facilitate the fraud.
Ultimately, the judge decided on a sentence of one year and one day, with the extra day potentially allowing for early release based on good behavior.
According to Inner City Press, an American outfit that has followed the case since its inception, Hajia4Reall shed tears at a point during sentencing expressing that she was ashamed of being a mother of an 8-year-old.
“I want to pay them back. I feel shame as a mother of an 8 year-old daughter. [Sobs] Please have mercy on me,” she is quoted to have said when he lawyer sought a lower jail term.
Read an excerpt from proceedings on the final day:
Judge: The guideline is 37 to 46 months.
Assistant US Attorney (AUSA): The victims were vulnerable senior citizens. Some were promised marriage; they sent and lost money. Middlemen received 10%. AUSA: Defendant participated in this scheme fir six years. 32 victims lost $1.4 million. Meanwhile Ms. Montrage reinvented herself in Ghana.
Judge: She blames an abusive former boyfriend.
AUSA: He was arrested and deported. She continued. One victim confronted her…
Judge: She will be deported.
Defense lawyer: 3 months incarceration would be enough. She didn’t know the money going into her account was from romance fraud.
Judge: She created multiple bank accounts.
Defense: She’s never before disclosed her abuse by her ex boyfriend.
Montrage: I want to pay them back. I feel shame as a mother of an 8 year-old daughter. [Sobs] Please have mercy on me.
AUSA: She started opening these accounts at different banks at an earlier time. Many in Ghana are following this case. General deterrence is needed
Defense: Victim-1 tracked her from her instagram photos – her video had a voice dubbed over, Victim-1 was catfished
Judge: I sentence Ms Montrage to one year and one day in prison, the extra day to allow “good time.”
Defense: We propose she be allowed to fly back to Ghana as soon as she is released, with no ICE detention.