Hajia4Real imprisonment: Don’t be in a haste to have lavish lifestyle; her ‘hustle’ has run into the gutters — Actress advises Ghanaian ladies

Ghanaian socialite and musician Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia 4Real, has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison following the conclusion of her romance scam trial in the United States.

Hajia 4Real had earlier pleaded guilty to laundering the proceeds of romance scams.

U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken handed down the sentence on Friday, June 28, 2024, allowing her the possibility of "good time" credit, which could reduce her sentence to a few days.

The Ghanaian influencer was arrested in the United Kingdom in November 2022 and extradited to the USA, where she faced a six-count indictment for her role in the romance schemes.

Following her guilty plea, Hajia 4Real agreed to pay over $2.1 million in forfeiture and restitution to her victims.

“I want to pay them back. I feel ashamed as a mother of an eight-year-old daughter. Please have mercy on me,” she pleaded during the trial.

She also revealed that the father of her daughter introduced her to internet fraud.

After the sentence, her defence requested that she be allowed to return to Ghana after serving her sentence to avoid detention by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a request the prosecution agreed to.

Reacting to the news on UTV’s United Showbiz, actress Christiana Awuni offered advice to Ghanaian youth.

She urged them not to rush into making quick money through dishonest means.

“Don’t be in a haste to have a lavish lifestyle; her hustle has run into the gutters,” she advised, emphasising the consequences of seeking quick riches through illegal activities.

Listen to her in the video below;