A Nigerian national and United States permanent resident, Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, has been declared wanted after failing to report to prison to begin serving an eight-year sentence over a romance fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana disclosed that a federal arrest warrant was issued for the 45-year-old after she failed to surrender as ordered.
According to a statement released by Public Information Officer Shane M. Jones, the warrant was signed on April 14, 2026, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Phillips Currault following Hall’s failure to report to custody.
United States Attorney David I. Courcelle confirmed that Hall, who was sentenced in January 2026, is currently at large.
Authorities said she was expected to report to a Bureau of Prisons facility on March 25, 2026, but failed to do so and has since evaded custody.
Court documents revealed that Hall was initially indicted in April 2024 by a federal grand jury in New Orleans on charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering.
She was arrested in Atlanta, granted bail, and later pleaded guilty to the charges.
In January 2026, U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced her to 96 months in prison but allowed her to remain on bond pending her surrender date.
Investigators said data from her electronic monitoring device showed her last known location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026, before the device stopped transmitting.
Although she reportedly submitted travel details indicating she would fly to Minnesota, airline records showed she did not board the flight. Instead, phone records suggested she travelled to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.
Prosecutors said Hall and her co-defendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi, operated a fraudulent scheme targeting mostly older women, posing as high-profile individuals such as military officers and entrepreneurs on social media platforms.
Victims were lured into online relationships and later persuaded to send money under false pretences, including claims of charity work or medical emergencies.
The duo allegedly used a company, Le Beau Monde LLC, to process the illicit funds, with Hall handling deposits and transfers, including transactions to foreign accounts.
Hall admitted responsibility for losses amounting to $851,207, while Akpieyi, who was convicted after a jury trial in July 2025, was held liable for over $3.5m and is currently serving a 25-year sentence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office warned that Hall could face an additional 10-year prison term if convicted for failing to report, along with fines and supervised release.
Officials said the case was investigated by the FBI New Orleans Field Office, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne is leading the prosecution.
