Mona Faiz Montrage, the Ghanaian socialite and musician better known as Hajia 4Reall, is poised to be released today from the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia, following the completion of a one-year and one-day prison sentence.
Public records from the US Federal Bureau of Prisons indicate that the 32-year-old will officially be released on May 22, 2025.
Montrage’s incarceration stemmed from her conviction on charges of conspiracy to receive stolen funds linked to a West African criminal syndicate involved in romance scams and online fraud. The prominent figure, who gained fame through her Instagram account “Hajia4Reall,” boasting over 3.4 million followers, was extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States in May 2023. She entered a guilty plea in February 2024 and was sentenced on June 28, 2024, by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York reported that Montrage was implicated in a scheme that defrauded vulnerable older Americans out of more than $2 million. She specifically received funds from approximately forty victims, which were deposited into U.S.-based bank accounts under false pretenses.
The fraudulent claims made to deceive victims included payments for transporting gold, resolving a fictitious FBI investigation, and assisting a bogus U.S. Army officer in accessing funds.
Montrage managed bank accounts that accumulated over $2 million in illicit proceeds. In addition to her prison sentence, she received three years of supervised release, was ordered to forfeit $216,475, and must pay restitution amounting to $1,387,458.
Court documents reveal that the sentencing judge endorsed a proposed timeline for her return to Ghana, as submitted by her legal team. Her lawyers informed the court that she is eager to start anew and make a positive contribution to society following her return.
