Nigerian-Born fraud convict declared wanted in U.S. after dodging 8-year jail term

A Nigerian-born fraud convict and United States permanent resident, Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, has been declared wanted by U.S. authorities after failing to surrender to begin serving an eight-year prison sentence for her role in a romance scam.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana confirmed that a federal arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, after Hall failed to report to prison as ordered.

According to court authorities, U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Phillips Currault authorised both the criminal complaint and the arrest warrant following her failure to comply with reporting instructions.

U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle confirmed that Hall, who was sentenced in January 2026, is now on the run after missing her March 25, 2026 deadline to report to the Bureau of Prisons.

In a statement issued by Public Information Officer Shane Jones, prosecutors said Hall had “evaded custody” after failing to present herself at the designated correctional facility.

Court filings show that Hall was initially charged in April 2024 with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud as well as money laundering. She was arrested in Atlanta, granted bond, and later pleaded guilty.

In January 2026, she was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 96 months in prison but was permitted to remain on bond pending self-surrender.

However, investigators said GPS data from her monitoring device last placed her at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026, where the device later went offline. She reportedly did not board her scheduled flight, while phone records suggest she may have travelled toward Washington, D.C.

Prosecutors said Hall and her accomplice ran a romance scam operation that targeted mostly older women, impersonating military officers, philanthropists, and business executives on social media platforms before moving conversations to encrypted messaging apps.

Victims were allegedly deceived into sending money under false claims, including fabricated medical emergencies and charity projects.

Authorities said Hall used a company, Le Beau Monde LLC, to process and move illicit funds, including international transfers. She admitted involvement in losses estimated at $851,207, while her co-conspirator, Kenneth G. Akpieyi, was linked to more than $3.5 million and is already serving a 25-year sentence.

U.S. prosecutors warned that Hall’s failure to report could attract an additional 10-year prison term if convicted, to be served consecutively with her existing sentence.

Officials said the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office is leading the ongoing manhunt, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Payne is prosecuting the case.

Authorities stressed that her refusal to surrender reflects a serious breach of judicial orders and reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing fraud-related offenders, particularly those targeting vulnerable victims.