Ghanaian influencer Mona Faiz Montrage aka Hajia 4reall has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison for her role in a series of romance scams and laundering the proceeds from those schemes.
The sentencing occurred in New York under U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
Montrage, known for her social media presence, was arrested in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2022, and extradited to the United States on May 12, 2023.
The charges against her included conspiracy to receive stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Montrage pled guilty to these charges on February 21, 2024, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.
Despite the varying social media opinions, this clearly is not the first time a showbiz personality has been slapped with a jail sentence. Pulse.com.gh has compiled a list of some personalities in the showbiz industry who have served jail sentences for various crimes committed.
1. Daasebre Gyamerna
In 2006, Highlife musician Daasebre Gyamena was jailed in the United Kingdom for possessing substances suspected to be cocaine when he disembarked from the British Airways flight from Accra.
Daasebre reportedly had in his possession two kilograms of the suspected substance concealed in his suitcase with the street value of about £100,000.
He was released from jail in 2007. He died on July 27, 2016.
2.Kwaw Kese
Ghanaian Hiplife musician, Kwaw Kese, was jailed in 2014 jailed for smoking cannabis in public.
High Court judge William Boampong sentenced Kwaw Kese to a day in jail and ordered him to pay a fine of Gh¢1,200. Kwaw Kese paid the fine and served the one-day jail sentence.
The musician was on remand for over a month at the Kumasi Central Prison before he was bailed on December 30, 2014.
3.Akuapem Poloo
On Wednesday, April 14, Poloo was convicted by an Accra Circuit Court after she pleaded guilty to the charges of publishing obscene material with two counts of domestic violence over posting a nude photo of her son in 2020.
On Friday, April 16, she was sentenced to three months in jail for those charges.
4.G’man
Nana Akwasi Agyemang popularly known as G-man was one of Ghana’s finest instrumentalists, dancers and musicians.
In 1995, he shot the taxi driver whiles in a scuffle with him even though it was not his intention to kill the driver but threatened him to reverse a curse he placed on he and his friend Abieku Nyame alias Jagger P after picking sand from their footsteps.
He was sentenced to death by hanging in 1995 and was released by a presidential pardon granted him in 2009 by outgoing president Kufuor. He spent 14 years in jail and is currently a pastor.
5.Showboy
Ghanaian based US rapper Samuel Safo popularly known as Showboy, CEO of 2Hype Gang was jailed in March 2019 for stabbing Junior.
Showboy sometime in 2017, got into a fight with Junior, Shatta Wale’s friend and in the fight, he stabbed him in the stomach. He is currently serving 6 years in prison in the USA.
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