After
Ghana
Influencer
Montrage Pled
Guilty For
Romance Scam
She Asks 3
Months Jail
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
June 14 – A Ghana-based
influencer was hit with a six-count
Indictment
charging MONA
FAIZ MONTRAGE
for her role
in a series of
romance
schemes and
for laundering
the proceeds
of those
schemes.
MONTRAGE was
arrested in
the United
Kingdom on
November 10,
2022, and was
extradited
from the
United Kingdom
on May 12,
2023.
MONTRAGE
was to be
presented
before U.S.
District Judge
Paul A. Crotty
-- Inner City
Press was
there, thread
here
On
May 24, the
executed bond
was docketed.
The co-signers
are Hashimiyu
Haruna,
Fatahia Chung
and Ayisheto
Al Hassan...
On
October 6, the
pre-trial
conference was
pushed back a
month.
On
November 8,
Montrage's new
lawyer wrote
in and asked
for another 60
days.
On
February 21,
2024, guilty
plea: "guilty
plea today of
MONA FAIZ
MONTRAGE for
her role in
laundering the
proceeds of a
series of
romance
scams.
MONTRAGE pled
guilty today
to conspiracy
to receive
stolen money
before U.S.
Magistrate
Judge Sarah L.
Cave.which
carries a
maximum
sentence of
five years in
prison.
MONTRAGE also
agreed to pay
forfeiture in
the amount of
$2,164,758.41
and make
restitution in
the same
amount."
On
February 27
the US
Attorney's
Office filed
Montrage's
plea
agreement,
which says she
will not
appeal any
sentence at or
below 46
months. Plea
agreement on
Patreon here.
On
March 7, the
case now
re-assigned to
Judge J. Paul
Oetken was set
down for
sentencing
before Judge
Oetken on June
3: "NOTICE as
to Mona Faiz
Montrage:
Sentencing is
adjourned to
June 3, 2024
at 2:30 pm in
Courtroom 706
of 40 Foley
Square.
Defendant's
sentencing
submission is
due by May 20,
2024, and the
Government's
by May 27,
2023."
But
on May 15
Montrage's
lawyer asked
for more time
for letters
and her
immigration
lawyer on
consequences
of her
conviction;
then
"Sentencing is
adjourned to
June 28, 2024
at 2:00pm.
Defendant's
sentencing
submission is
due June 14,
2024. The
Government's
sentencing
submission is
due June 21,
2024. SO
ORDERED
(Signed by
Judge J. Paul
Oetken on
5/16/24)."
On
June 14,
Montage's
lawyer wrote
in that "a
probationary
sentence would
have been
appropriate"
but since that
would lead to
immediate
detention by
US ICE then
deportation,
"accordingly
the Defense
submitted that
a sentence of
three months
incarceration
is
sufficient."
More
details on
Substack here
The
case is US v.
Montrage,
22-cr-617
(Oetken)
***
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