Chef Faila: Hajia4Reall inspired me with her charity works

Speaking on UTV’s “United Showbiz” on Saturday, Chef Faila revealed that she has always been inspired by Hajia4Real’s charitable work in needy communities in the Northern Region.

“In the Northern Region, life was very difficult,”  Chef Faila stated, “so we were happy when she rose to prominence in the country. I think in the last two days, she came around to the North to donate to the orphanage and encouraged people, so I was very inspired.”

She clarified, however, that her admiration was solely for Hajia4Real’s charitable endeavours, and not her lifestyle.

“Even though I was selling rice by then, I was praying that I would be like Hajia4Real”, not in the sense of her lifestyle, but in the wealth she had to make an impact,” she said.

Chef Faila defended Hajia4Real’s parents, saying that they cannot be blamed for the wrongdoing of an adult who takes her own decisions.

“I know it’s not easy for their parents at this moment. I believe after 30 years, everyone has the right to choose for themselves and no one can blame their parents for their child’s wrongdoing,” she said.

Last month, Hajia4Reall pleaded guilty to receiving fraud proceeds from romance scams and agreed to pay forfeiture of $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount.

She also agreed to pay forfeiture of over US$2 million and make restitution in the same amount.

Hajia4Reall is set to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty at a yet-to-be-determined date, it remains to be seen if she would be given the maximum five-year sentence.

Attorney Damian Williams said of the guilty plea: “Mona Faiz Montrage knowingly received money stolen from older Americans through romance scams and was arrested abroad and now faces serious consequences for her actions.

“Romance scams such as Montrage’s harmed her vulnerable, elderly victims not only in the cruel betrayal of trust in the realisation that their online romantic connection was fiction, but by also callously stealing their money.

“This Office and our law enforcement partners are relentless in bringing fraudsters who target Americans to justice, no matter where they are,” he stressed.