Entertainment
Hajia4Reall’s network to be probed in alleged $2M romance scam – FIC
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It appears popular Ghanaian socialite cum musician, Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall may not go down alone if she’s found guilty of fraud in a $2 million romance scam case currently ongoing in the United States.
Hajia4Reall, who was arrested in the United Kingdom and extradited to the US on May 12, 2023, to face six charges, has pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court.
According to Ghana’s Financial Intelligence Centre (IFC), which is working in conjunction with INTERPOL and FBI on the case, all persons within the social and business network of the suspect are now persons of interest in the investigation.
Hajia4Reall is known to particularly have many associates in both entertainment and business circles in Ghana, and was an ambassador for some business brands.
The Deputy Manager of IFC, Shaun Henry Osei, made the disclosure in an interview with Accra-based Starr FM.
“Obviously, she’s not going to be working alone, she’s going to be working in a network. The evidence that you have access to will actually lead you to be able to find out who her greater network is and obviously, if you find her greater network, by instinct you will want to look at those people because then they become persons of interest.
The FIC is Ghana’s national centre for the receipt and analysis of suspicious transaction reports and other information relevant to establish offences of money laundering or terrorist financing and proliferation financing (ML/TF&P) and disseminating actionable intelligence to competent authorities.
The centre is appealing to the public to volunteer relevant information on possible financial crimes for them to take the necessary actions.
“You can report to the FIC for starters. We receive reports from accountable institutions, from individuals so you can make a report and send it via mail and you can even bring it personally. Some of these young guys we see, I know most have been attributed to fraud but some are into very legitimate business. They are into forex trade and other business… Forex trade, I’m not certain what the law says on it, but what I can say is that when it comes to crypto and other things I think as a country we don’t yet have a definitive position on that per what the Bank of Ghana is saying and usually when there’s space like that people are likely to explore.”
The case
The 30-year-old model appeared in Manhattan federal court on Monday, May 15 for her alleged involvement in a series of romance schemes targeting older people who lived alone.
She’s set to be released on home detention to her aunt’s New Jersey residence in the coming days on a $500,000 bond with GPS tracking via an ankle monitor, her lawyer and the prosecutor’s office have confirmed.
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced the unsealing of a six-count Indictment charging Hajia4Real for her role in a series of romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds of those schemes.
About Hajia4Reall
Mona 4Reall is a public figure who rose to fame as an influencer through her Instagram profile, under the username ‘Hajia4Reall,’ which at one point had approximately 3.4 million Instagram followers and was among the top 10 profiles with the most followers in Ghana.
She was arrested in the United Kingdom where she had gone to perform at the Ghana Music Awards UK edition and was en route to Ghana.
According to the court, from 2013 thereabout through to 2019, the influencer was a member of a criminal enterprise based in Ghana that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses in the United States, including romance scams that targeted mostly elderly victims.
The prosecution said Hajia received money from several victims of romance frauds whom members of the Enterprise tricked into sending money.
Among the false pretences used to induce victims to send money to Montrage were (i) payments to transport gold to the United States from overseas; (ii) payments to resolve a fake FBI unemployment investigation; and (iii) payments to assist a fake United States army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.
The court said in one incident with her victims, Hajia used her real name and spoke to the victim several times by phone, later sending the victim a tribal marriage certificate purporting to show that she and the victim had been married in Ghana.
“The victim sent Montrage approximately 82 wire transfers totalling approximately $89,000 to purportedly help with costs associated with Montrage’s father’s farm in Ghana.”
The court added that “In total, Montrage controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.”
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
Ghanaian rapper Medikal has advised musicians to focus on building financial security rather than relying mainly on awards, shows and public recognition.
According to him, the difficult situations some senior musicians face after years in the industry should serve as a lesson to younger artistes.
Medikal made the comments on TikTok while sharing his thoughts on an interview involving veteran Ghanaian musician DJ Barosky, whom he claimed is currently homeless in the United Kingdom.
He expressed surprise at the situation, noting that he grew up listening to and admiring some of the senior musicians who influenced his generation.
“Bro, right now, social media, I know if you tell which one be real or what be fake,” Medikal stated, questioning the reality of what people see online.
He argued that musicians should make money and put proper financial plans in place while they are active in the industry.
“If you be artist for this country, you for make money, collect money, put certain things in place,” he said.
Medikal stressed that awards and performances were important but should not replace financial planning.
He encouraged artistes to be careful with their relationships and to understand that the entertainment industry is largely driven by money.
According to him, even friendships can change when a person’s financial circumstances change.
He therefore urged musicians not to become discouraged by financial losses but to remain focused on creating wealth.
“Make money. If you lose money, still collect money,” he advised.
Medikal said the experiences of older artistes should encourage current musicians to take their finances seriously and prepare for life beyond their peak years in the entertainment industry.
By: Jacob Aggrey
It was a night of colour, culture and creativity as Miss Tourism Ghana successfully held its Regional Costume & Talent Night in Accra.
The event drew fashion lovers, culture enthusiasts, and proud supporters who came out to witness Ghana’s beauty queens represent their regions on one grand stage.
From the moment guests stepped in, the atmosphere was electric, ushering,
Okra, Zabe, Gina, Akpe, Sela, Afia,Asher and Ajua into the auditorium to mesmerize patrons.
The blistering night, commenced with a breathtaking regional costumes rocked by contestants that told stories of Ghana’s traditions from, african print, kente, smock, batakari, beads and other indigenous fabrics.
Each outfit with beautiful local accessories to match was paired with confidence, poise, and pride.
The night then shifted gears into the talent segment. The audience was treated to powerful performances traditional dance, spoken word, fashion, singing, and drama all centered on promoting Ghana’s tourism and heritage.
The judges were stunned with the various displays and passed favorable commentaries encouraging the contestants to keep giving their all.
Patrons left with unforgettable moments, and the contestants delivered to their expectations.
Organisers of Miss Tourism Ghana congratulated all the amazing participants who took part and urged them to forged ahead strongly before the grand final.
They also, encouraged families and friends to keep their favourite in the competition through their campaigns and votes.
The search for Ghana’s next tourism ambassador is officially on, and the competition is getting tighter with each stage.
Beyond the glamour, Miss Tourism Ghana continues to use the platform to market Ghana’s tourist sites, culture and hospitality to the world.
The Regional Costume & Talent Night served as both entertainment and education, reminding Ghanaians of the beauty in our diversity.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
