The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Emuobosan Emmanuella Hall, a 46-year-old Nigerian citizen and United States permanent resident who failed to report to prison to begin an eight-year sentence for her role in a romance fraud scheme.
The US Department of Justice announced the reward on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after a federal grand jury indicted Hall on October 23 for failing to report to the Bureau of Prisons as directed by the court. She remains at large, and an arrest warrant has been issued.
Hall, who lived in Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced in January 2026 by US District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to 96 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
She was permitted to remain on bond after sentencing but was ordered to report to a designated federal prison facility in Minnesota by March 25, 2026, to begin serving her sentence.
According to a criminal complaint cited by the Justice Department, Hall provided her probation officer with flight details for the journey. However, she failed to board the scheduled flight.
Investigators said GPS data from her electronic monitoring device placed her last known location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026, where the device stopped transmitting. Airline records subsequently confirmed that she did not board the flight to Minnesota, while phone records suggested she may have travelled towards the Washington, DC, area.
Hall’s original conviction stemmed from a romance fraud operation that targeted mostly older women in the United States. According to court documents, members of the scheme posed as military generals, philanthropists or entrepreneurs living abroad and established relationships with victims through social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
After gaining their trust, the perpetrators allegedly persuaded victims to send money under false pretences, including claims that funds were needed for charitable activities or medical assistance for sick relatives.
Court records show that Hall and her co-defendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi, used a company known as Le Beau Monde LLC to facilitate the operation. Hall deposited victims’ funds into accounts held in the company’s name before transferring the money to other financial institutions, including foreign banks.
Hall admitted responsibility for approximately $851,207 in losses suffered by victims. Akpieyi, who was convicted following a jury trial in July 2025, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the wider scheme, which caused total losses exceeding $3.5 million.
The new charge against Hall carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, which could be imposed consecutively to her existing sentence if she is convicted. She could also face a fine of up to $250,000 and a further term of supervised release.
The Justice Department stressed that the new indictment contains allegations that must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The FBI is urging anyone with information about Hall’s whereabouts to contact the agency by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting information through its official tip website at https://tips.fbi.gov. The agency said the $5,000 reward is available for information leading to her arrest.
The case has attracted attention in Nigeria and the United States, particularly because of the scale of the romance fraud losses and Hall’s failure to surrender after being sentenced. US authorities have said they will continue efforts to locate her and bring her before the court over the outstanding charge.
