Ghanaian influencer charged in New York for allegedly scamming lonely seniors | Scams

A high-profile Ghanaian Instagram influencer has pleaded not responsible to New York prices for her alleged position in a number of on-line “romance schemes” that focused lonely seniors, courtroom data point out.

Mona Faiz Montrage, who was arrested on 10 November within the UK and extradited to the US a number of days in the past, was a part of a West Africa-based “felony enterprise” that focused “weak, older women and men who lived alone”, in keeping with Manhattan federal prosecutors.

Montrage, whose Instagram profile Hajia4Reall as soon as had roughly 3.4 million followers, was one of many 10 most adopted profiles in Ghana.

The felony outfit usually despatched victims emails, in addition to textual content and social media messages, that tricked them into considering they have been in romantic relationships with somebody, when in actuality they have been speaking with a scammer utilizing a pretend id.

As soon as the con artist cohort gained victims’ belief, they satisfied them to ship cash to financial institution accounts beneath the false perception that they have been managed by their on-line paramours, prosecutors alleged.

The criminals goaded their victims to ship cash beneath the guise of funds to ship gold to the US from overseas, in addition to cash to assist a US military officer get funds from Afghanistan.

Montrage, prosecutors charged, used her actual title with one sufferer and likewise spoke with them by cellphone. She allegedly despatched this sufferer a tribal marriage certificates claiming to reveal they have been married in Ghana, prosecutors allege.

This sufferer transferred Montrage about $89,000 beneath the false pretense of aiding with prices involving her father’s farm in Ghana, prosecutors mentioned. Montrage allegedly managed financial institution accounts that took in additional than $2m in illicit funds.

Montrage is charged with six counts, on prices of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, money-laundering conspiracy, cash laundering, receipt of stolen cash and conspiracy to obtain stolen cash. Montrage’s legal professional didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.