January 1, Influencer Swindles Elderly Men Out of Millions!

In the land of the free, where hard work and honest living are the cornerstones of our society, it seems some foreign elements have found a way to exploit the very values we hold dear.

Ghanaian socialite, model, musician, and businesswoman, Mona Faiz Montrage better known by her stage name as Mona 4Reall or Hajia4Reall has finally spoken after days of going silent on social media. pic.twitter.com/T6qYzTtpkx

— Jibriel Suliah (@MrJibriel) November 23, 2022

Mona Faiz Montrage, a 30-year-old Ghanaian social media influencer, stands accused of running an elaborate scheme that played on the loneliness and trust of older, single Americans, netting a shocking $2 million from these innocent hearts.

Prominent Ghanaian #SocialMedia influencer Mona Faiz Montrage charged in USA for alleged role in multiple alleged romance scams targeting vulnerable older US citizens + extradited from UK to USA last week (https://t.co/YjfQm0SscB AND DOJ complaint – https://t.co/OpAZFXcoru). pic.twitter.com/tHhyxLvwmz

— Ian Beckett (@ianbeckett) May 15, 2023

What’s more, she didn’t even bother to hide in the shadows. No, she was basking in the limelight of 3.4 million Instagram followers, living a double life where she played both the heartbreaker and the celebrated social media starlet.

Ghanaian influencer, Mona Faiz Montrage otherwise known as Hajia4real, is extradited to US in $2M romance scam targeting older, single Americanshttps://t.co/aMwOVNfeYY

— Marreka 🧭 (@Ebenezer_Peegah) May 15, 2023

It’s a bitter pill for anyone to swallow – that a person can exploit the vulnerabilities of others so callously while enjoying the adulation of millions.

The scheme was cunningly simple, yet devilishly effective. A group of con artists, including Montrage, would assume fake identities, spin tales of love and affection, and convince the victims to part with their hard-earned money under a plethora of false pretenses.

Today @SDNYLIVE charging MONA FAIZ MONTRAGE for romance schemes and for laundering the proceeds. MONTRAGE was arrested in the UK on Nov 10, 2022, & was extradited on May 12.  MONTRAGE will be presented before US District Judge Crotty – Inner City Press on the case pic.twitter.com/EENbeOd5wd

— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 15, 2023

The very idea that someone would use the honor of serving in our armed forces or the integrity of the FBI as a cover for their deceit is a slap in the face to every American.

Montrage’s audacity didn’t stop there. In one instance, she allegedly convinced a victim to send $89,000 to support her fictional father’s farm in Ghana.

The nerve of this woman – using the veil of agriculture, a profession symbolizing honest toil and respect for the land, as a front for her deceitful acts.

This case, while tragic, serves as a stark reminder of the threats posed by the digital age. In a time where our communities are being ravaged by the loss of local jobs and big businesses seeking cheap labor elsewhere, it’s the shared respect for our American values that keeps us strong. However, it’s also these values that made us vulnerable to this scam.

Ghanaian social media influencer Mona Faiz Montrage (Hajia4Real) has been extradited from the UK to the US for allegedly swindling over $2 million from older, single American men and women in a twisted lonely hearts scam, federal prosecutors said Monday. pic.twitter.com/Isznwm1ph4

— Kwaku Asante (@kwakuasanteb) May 15, 2023

As Montrage sits under house arrest in her aunt’s New Jersey residence, facing a potential 20-year sentence, one can’t help but feel a sense of bitter satisfaction. The long arm of justice, it seems, can reach even the most glamorous of Instagram influencers. But this is no cause for celebration.

Instead, it’s a call for all Americans to be vigilant, to protect our elderly, our lonely, our vulnerable from those who would exploit their loneliness and trust for personal gain.

In the end, the strength of America isn’t in its technology or its wealth.

It’s in the spirit of its people – the spirit that values hard work, honesty, and respect for one’s fellow man. It’s this spirit that will guide us through these trying times, and it’s this spirit that will ensure justice is served to those who seek to undermine our values.

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