Out of the seven counts or charges Hajia4Reall has been hit with, she pleaded guilty to the ‘Conspiracy to receive stolen money.’

Usually, for plea bargains to work, there are benefits for both parties (the prosecutor and defendant).

In favour of the defendant, the prosecutors offer incentives such as charging them with a lesser offence or recommending more leniency in sentencing.

Also, the plea deal allows the defendant to limit their risk since they will not have the uncertainty of a court verdict.

However, these structures do not come on a silver platter, as prosecutors usually will impose conditions beyond just ‘pleading guilty’.

For instance, the defendant might be made to testify against others involved in the same crime.

“Sometimes, prosecutors will impose additional conditions on a deal beyond a defendant admitting guilt. For example, a prosecution might allow a defendant to plead down to a less serious charge if the defendant agrees to testify against others involved in the same criminal misconduct,” Forbes legal advisor states.

In this regard, it appears Hajia4Reall is giving out more than just ‘refund and restitution’ in exchange for the plea bargain.

But the question is, what information has she given out?

Earlier when news of Hajia4Reall’s act of pleading guilty broke, Ghanaian socialite, Kwadwo Sheldon, took to Twitter and wrote; “She snitch be that.”



Ghanaian American ex-convict, Showboy, who is quite privy to the US court systems also took to Snapchat and gave some insights about the development.

He wrote in Pidgin English: “Hajia4Reall, you be too much. If I start explain how plea deals work, you go shake your head. I took my case to trials and took no plea. If you go receive over $2 million and get 5 years then America sweet. Free ma nigga Daruis, he’s doing 8 years. Free my nigga chubby, he is doing 4 years and was in house arrest for almost 4 years. Making it 8 years in total. God bless all the hommies that took pleas without testifying.”

To wit: "Hajia4Reall, you are quite impressive. If I were to explain how plea deals function, you would likely find it intriguing. I opted for a trial and did not accept any plea bargain. If someone can receive over $2 million and serve just 5 years, then America seems appealing. I urge for the release of my friend Darius, who is currently serving an 8-year sentence. I also call for the release of my friend Chubby, who is serving 4 years and spent nearly 4 years under house arrest, adding up to a total of 8 years. I extend blessings to all my friends who accepted plea deals without testifying."




Hajia4Reall's publicist, GHhyper, also took to Snapchat and wrote, "Nothing to worry about, we know what we are doing."



What is a plea bargain?

A plea bargain is when a defendant agrees to admit they are guilty of a criminal offense rather than making the prosecutor prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The prosecutor makes some type of concession to the defendant in exchange for admitting guilt, such as charging the defendant with a less serious offense or recommending less serious penalties.

What’s in it for the prosecutor?

When a defendant agrees to a plea bargain, it prevents the overriding of cases within the courts, which in turn allows prosecutors and judges to spend their time and resources on more controversial cases.

It eliminates the chances of the defendant being acquitted while saving the time and cost of the prosecution going into a full trial.

Background

Mona Faiz Montrage, also known as Hajia4Reall, reportedly entered a guilty plea on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, in a U.S. Magistrate court regarding her fraud case.

She only pleaded guilty to count 5 (Conspiracy to receive stolen money), which exposes her to a maximum of five years imprisonment.

Per the US Constitution, count 5 (considered a third-degree felony) is a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of one year or more.

Hajia4Reall’s six other charges are the ‘Attempt and conspiracy to commit wire fraud’, ‘Fraud by wire, radio or television’, ‘Money laundering, fraud, and other conspiracies’, ‘Money laundering, fraud, and others’, ‘Sale or receipt of stolen goods, securities money’ and ‘Felony’.

EB/BB