Hajia 4Reall’s Lawyers express excitement over sentencing outcome
Hajia 4Reall’s Lawyers are excited about a U.S. court sending her to prison in a verdict announced today.
Despite the lawyers of the Ghanaian socialite pleading for 3 months’ prison time, the judge slapped her with 1 year and 1 day’s jail time to conclude the case of U.S. v. Mona Montrage, 22 cr 617 (JPO).
The sentencing has brought a sense of relief to her legal team, who successfully argued for a significantly reduced sentence compared to the government’s request for 37 to 46 months of incarceration.
Hajia 4Reall faced charges related to internet fraud, to which she had pleaded guilty. Her lawyers had presented a strong case for leniency, emphasising her role as a single mother and the critical need for her presence in her child’s life.
“We are incredibly proud of the advocacy done on our Client’s behalf and the result achieved. Our Client will be issuing a statement when she is ready,” her legal team announced following the sentencing.
Hajia4Reall was implicated in a romance scam that defrauded victims of $2 million. After being arrested in the United Kingdom, she was extradited to the United States to face charges. The case attracted widespread attention due to her celebrity status and the magnitude of the fraud.
During the hearing, her defence team highlighted various mitigating factors, including her responsibilities as a single mother and the potential adverse effects of prolonged separation from her child.
Her legal team also argued that the father of Hajia4Reall’s daughter, Loveman Allison, is the main culprit in the romance scam and lured her innocently to launder money from his fraudulent activities.
She recounted meeting Allison in 2015 in the United States, where she fell in love with him, only to discover his involvement in fraudulent activities later. According to Hajia4Reall, Allison, who was once arrested and jailed in the U.S. over internet fraud, introduced her to his schemes.