Ghanaian lawyer Amanda Clinton has delved into Hajia4Reall’s $2m US romance scam case and the socialite’s decision to plead guilty.
Lawyer Clinton seems to agree with the advice of the legal representatives of Hajia4Reall leading to her plea, saying it was a good option considering the facts of the case.
Hajia4Reall, born Mona Faiz Montrage, has been facing prosecution in the US since May 2023. Initially arrested in the UK in November 2022, she was extradited to America six months later for prosecution.
Hajia4Reall’s guilty plea and possible 5-year jail term
Many months after, on February 21, 2024, it emerged that the 31-year-old had pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. She also agreed to pay forfeiture for $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount as part of her plea.
Amanda Clinton breaks down Hajia4Reall’s guilty plea
Amanda Clinton suggested that Hajia4Reall would have been nailed and handed a long sentence if she had not been advised to plead guilty.
According to her, the charges she faces fall under the “unjust enrichment” category of lawsuits, the most straightforward cases to win a judgment on.
She explained that all the prosecution needed to do was establish the genuine name of the perpetrator, Hajia4Reall, in this case, and show a paper trail and financial assets available for reparation.
“Conviction and financial reparation are straightforward in cases of ‘unjust enrichment’ or ‘defrauding by false pretences’ when the perpetrator’s true identity is revealed, evidence exists of bank and other transfers, and a paper trail demonstrating the perpetrator’s fraudulent intent when committing the act,” she said.
She observed that Hajia4Reall’s legal team was aware their client could easily be identified and tied to a paper trail, hence, the decision to make her plead guilty, adding that it must have been a plea deal considering earlier charges she faced.
For Lawyer Clinton, Hajia4Reall’s voluntary flight from London to New York to face prosecution must have contributed to her:
“…obtaining a plea deal in which the charges were reduced from six original charges to one charge.”
Hajia4Reall paid $2m, named 4 partners to get a few years Meanwhile, Hajia4Reall has reportedly paid $2m in restitution after pleading guilty to one of the charges in her US romance scam case.
According to a Nigerian journalist, Dr Kemi Olunloyo, Hajia4Reall has released some names as part of her plea deal with US authorities.
The Ghanaian star now faces up to five years in jail, with Dr Olunloyo predicting a lesser sentence, like three years, because of her cooperation.