Emuobosan Emmanuel Hall: FBI Offers $5,000 Reward for Wanted Female Fraudster Who Fled Before Prison
- The FBI is searching for Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall, 46, a Nigerian woman convicted of romance fraud in the United States
- Hall was sentenced to eight years in federal prison but vanished before reporting to begin her sentence
- A federal grand jury indicted Hall on October 23, 2026, for failing to report to the Bureau of Prisons
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A Nigerian woman convicted of running a romance fraud scheme in the United States has gone on the run, prompting the FBI to offer a $5,000 reward for information that could lead to her arrest.
Source: Getty Images
Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall, 46, a Nigerian citizen and US permanent resident of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for her role in a romance scam but never showed up to begin serving her time.
On 23 October 2026, a federal grand jury indicted her for failing to report to the Bureau of Prisons, adding a fresh charge to her already significant criminal record.
She was earlier indicted in April 2024 by a federal grand jury in New Orleans for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The wanted fraudster was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, and granted bond and subsequently pleaded guilty, prompting U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to sentence her to 96 months in prison in January 2026.
Reports indicate that Hall disappeared at Atlanta's airport before she was due to surrender and has been at large ever since, with a warrant issued for her arrest.
FBI's $5,000 reward for Hall's arrest
In a press release on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed it is actively seeking Hall and announced a $5,000 reward for any tip that leads directly to her capture.
Authorities have described her as a fugitive, drawing widespread attention and debate across Nigerian social media communities about the consequences her actions may have for other Nigerians seeking visas or travel opportunities abroad.
Her codefendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi, of Marietta, Georgia, was convicted after a jury trial in July 2025 and jailed 25 years in prison.
According to trial evidence and court documents, members of the conspiracy falsely presented themselves as generals, philanthropists, or entrepreneurs who lived outside the US.
They would meet victims on Facebook, Instagram, and similar social media platforms, gain the trust of the victims, and ask the victims to move their conversations to WhatsApp or another encrypted platform.
Thereafter, the perpetrators reportedly fostered a romantic relationship with their victims and asked the victims to send money for fraudulent reasons, such as to help with charitable work or to assist sick family members.
According to court documents, Akpieyi and Hall created a company, Le Beau Monde LLC, which they used for the romance scam activities.
The wanted fraudster would deposit victim funds into accounts held in the name of the company and then transfer those funds to accounts at other financial institutions, including foreign banks.
Hall admitted to responsibility for $851,207.00 in losses to victims of this scheme, while Akpieyi was found to be responsible for victim losses exceeding $3.5 million.
Akpieyi was remanded into custody after trial, and he is currently serving his sentence in the Bureau of Prisons.
If convicted, Hall faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years of imprisonment to be served consecutively to her prior sentence.
The wanted fraudster may be fined up to $250,000 and may receive a term of supervised release of up to three years.
She would also be required to pay a $100 mandatory assessment fee.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall is urged to contact the FBI.
The Facebook post detailing the FBI's reward offer for the wanted fraudster is below:
Nigerians react to Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall's case
The story attracted considerable commentary online, with many Nigerians expressing frustration over how cases like Hall's affect perceptions of the country internationally.
YEN.com.gh has compiled some reactions from social media users below:
Pascal Sylvester said:
"All these things na ein dey make their immigration dey put strict policies when it comes to Nigeria."
Nnaelo Chiadikaobi Serguis wrote:
"Baba don jaa."
Toniman Osagiede added:
"She has added petrol to the fire as far as she is still in the country. Unless she's found her way out."
Nigerian fraudster Chukuwemeka Amachukwu jailed in US
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported about Nigerian national Chukwuemeka Amachukwu, who was sentenced to eight years in a US prison over fraud schemes that caused more than $15 million in losses.
Prosecutors said the schemes involved hacking tax preparation businesses, stealing personal information and filing fraudulent claims, while a separate investment scam brought in more than $7 million.
The court also ordered Amachukwu to pay millions of dollars in restitution and forfeiture.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
