Hajia4Real, a well-known Ghanaian musician and social media influencer, has been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States over accusations of swindling over $2 million from American men and women in a romance scam. The “Badder Than” singer appeared in Manhattan federal court on Monday, pleading not guilty to the charges. She will be released upon posting a $500,000 bond and will be required to wear an ankle monitor with GPS tracking.
According to federal authorities, Hajia4Real was part of a network of fraudsters from Ghana and Nigeria who targeted vulnerable older Americans through romance scams using false identities and social media communications. In court papers, a specific case highlighted how she allegedly deceived a victim into sending her $89,000 under the pretense of providing financial aid for her father’s farm in Ghana. She also sent the victim a tribal marriage certificate to validate their fabricated marital status.
Hajia4Real is accused of accumulating a total of $2 million, which was subsequently deposited into bank accounts held by her under various names, including one under the guise of 4Reall Designs, a fictitious clothing company. The stolen funds were later laundered to other individuals involved in the criminal enterprise. If found guilty on the most severe charge of wire fraud, she could face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
