A Nigerian national and U.S. permanent resident, Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, has been declared wanted after failing to report to prison to begin serving an eight-year sentence for a romance fraud scheme, triggering a fresh federal arrest warrant.
U.S. authorities say Hall, 45, is now on the run and could face up to an additional 10 years in prison if convicted of failing to surrender as ordered.
The arrest warrant was issued on April 14, 2026, after a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Louisiana approved a criminal complaint following her disappearance. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana confirmed that Hall has “evaded custody” since missing her reporting deadline.
Court records show she had been sentenced in January 2026 to 96 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges involving mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering linked to a large-scale romance scam.
Despite being allowed to remain on bond temporarily, Hall was instructed to report to a designated Bureau of Prisons facility by March 25, 2026 — a directive she failed to obey.
Investigators tracking her movements revealed that her GPS monitoring device last transmitted from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, a day before her surrender date. Authorities say the device stopped working at that point.
Although she had told her probation officer she would travel to Minnesota, airline records showed she never boarded the flight. Instead, phone data suggests she may have moved through Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., raising further questions about her whereabouts.
The case stems from a sophisticated online fraud operation in which victims — mostly older women — were targeted through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The perpetrators reportedly posed as high-profile figures, including military officers and philanthropists, before moving conversations to encrypted messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.
Victims were persuaded to send money under false pretences, including fabricated emergencies or charitable causes. Prosecutors said Hall played a central role in managing the financial side of the operation.
She admitted responsibility for more than $850,000 in losses, while her co-defendant, Kenneth Akpieyi, was linked to over $3.5 million and is currently serving a 25-year sentence following his conviction in 2025.
Authorities said the fraud network operated through a company, Le Beau Monde LLC, which was used to receive and move illicit funds across multiple accounts, including international transfers.
U.S. Attorney David Courcelle criticised Hall’s failure to report to prison, describing it as a serious violation. He said the case underscores the government’s commitment to pursuing fraud cases, especially those targeting vulnerable individuals.
If apprehended and convicted of failing to surrender, Hall could face a consecutive prison term of up to 10 years, alongside fines of up to $250,000 and additional supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in New Orleans is leading efforts to locate her, as authorities intensify the search for the fugitive.
