Ahead of her trial, Ghanaian socialite Mona Faiz Montrage, widely known as Hajia4Real, has sought a change in legal representation.
This decision follows her separation from Adam Cortez, who had been her attorney since the initiation of her prosecution.
According to legal documents, Hajia4Real submitted a request for a change in attorney to the US court on November 8, 2023, and it was granted on November 9, 2023.
She has now retained the services of Ms. Eleanor Fast from ‘The Fast Law Firm PC’ to handle her case going forward. The specific reasons for her decision to switch lawyers remain undisclosed.
Prior to the scheduled trial, initially set for November 13, Ms. Fast appealed to the court for a 60-day extension to thoroughly acquaint herself with the case. However, the court granted a 45-day extension.
Hajia4Reall was extradited from the United Kingdom to the US on allegations of defrauding over $2 million from older, single American men and women in a deceptive Lonely Hearts scam in May 2023. Pleading not guilty, she was released on a $500,000 bond, with GPS tracking via an ankle monitor.