Ghanaian social media influencer, Montrage, has been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States to face charges of perpetrating a $2 million romance scam targeting older Americans.
According to federal prosecutors, Montrage allegedly swindled money from single American men and women in a twisted lonely hearts scam.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) stated that Montrage has been charged with multiple counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.
Court documents reveal that in one case, she deceived a victim into sending her $89,000 through 82 wire transfers under the pretense of assisting her father’s farm in Ghana.
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To further the ruse, Montrage allegedly sent the victim a tribal marriage certificate after engaging in phone conversations using her real identity.
Prosecutors claim that Montrage also received funds from other victims who were scammed by individuals in her network. She allegedly laundered the stolen money through various bank accounts, including one opened in the name of a supposed clothing company called 4Reall Designs.
If found guilty, Montrage could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in jail for each count. The 30-year-old influencer was arrested in the UK on November 10 of the previous year and was subsequently extradited to the US. During her appearance before a judge on Monday, she pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Authorities in the US have expressed concern over the rising number of romance scams targeting older individuals and emphasized the importance of holding the perpetrators accountable.
