The identity of the legal counsel of social media influencer and musician Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall, who has pleaded guilty to receiving proceeds from a romance scam, according to the United States Department of Justice (DoJ), has been revealed.
Alleged court documents and information on The Fast Law Firm’s website, sighted by The Independent Ghana, indicate that Hajia4Reall is being represented by Elena Fast.
Elena Fast, Esq., believed to be the lead counsel, and Michael Perkins, Esq. of The Fast Law Firm, P.C. are working on the legal suit against the Ghanaian socialite.
On its website, The Fast Law Firm acknowledged on February 24, 2024, that the aforementioned duo served as her lawyers in response to Hajia4Reall pleading guilty to the charges against her.
Profile of Elena Fast
Elena Fast represents individuals and corporations charged with the most serious federal crimes including wire/ mail fraud, securities and bank fraud, money laundering, violations of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), insurance fraud, federal tax violations, cybercrimes, international parental kidnapping (IPKA), narcotics and weapons trafficking. In state courts, Elena represents clients charged with financial crimes, murder, sex crimes, child pornography, narcotics and weapons possession, and violent crimes. Elena has tried over 25 cases to verdict as lead counsel in federal and state courts.
Prior to establishing The Fast Law Firm P.C., Elena was a Managing Partner of a boutique Madison Avenue White Collar Law Firm. Before private practice, Elena worked as a Felony Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York where she handled thousands of cases from arraignment to disposition. During her six years at the District Attorney’s Office, Elena investigated and prosecuted a wide array of crimes.
While at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, Elena has presented over 200 cases to the Grand Jury for murder, assault, kidnapping, home invasion, pattern robberies and burglaries, grand larceny, narcotics and firearm possession. Elena frequently worked with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on long-term investigations involving identity theft, schemes to defraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud and possession of forged instruments and forgery devices.
As a Brooklyn prosecutor, Elena prosecuted several high profile cases. Notably, Elena handled the double homicide prosecution of Nikolai Rakossi, the “Russian Rambo.” It was the first case in New York history to proceed to trial in the Russian Federation due to lack of extradition. Elena worked in conjunction with the Department of Justice, the Tula Region Prosecutors Office and other Russian authorities on the transfer of prosecution to Russia, Rakossi’s apprehension and subsequent trial in the City of Tula. Rakossi was found guilty and received the maximum sentence of 19 years in a Russian penal colony.
Elena attended the night division of New York Law School and participated in Moot Court. During law school, Elena worked as an investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. During her tenure with the Department of Labor, Elena investigated fraud, theft, and mismanagement of employer-sponsored healthcare and pension plans. Prior to law school, Elena worked in financial roles at Vicis Capital UK and State Street Global Advisors.
Elena graduated first in her class from the College of Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She completed part of her undergraduate coursework at Said Business School at the University of Oxford (United Kingdom). Elena is fluent in Russian.
Bar Admissions
- The State Bar of New York,
- The State Bar of New Jersey,
- U.S. Supreme Court,
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit,
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit,
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York,
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York,
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York,
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York,
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois,
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, AND
- U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
Membership & Associations
- Federal Bar Council,
- New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, AND
- New York Criminal Bar Association.