Nigerian-born Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, a U.S. permanent resident convicted of wire and romance fraud, has been declared a fugitive by U.S. authorities after failing to report to prison as ordered. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a public appeal for help in locating Hall, 45, who was sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in a scam targeting mostly older women. She was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons by March 25, 2026, but failed to do so, prompting a federal arrest warrant signed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Phillips Currault on April 14.
Hall, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a case unsealed by a federal grand jury in New Orleans in April 2024. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced her to 96 months in prison in January 2026, allowing her to remain on bond pending reporting to prison. Despite being granted bond, Hall did not appear at the designated correctional facility, and her whereabouts remain unknown.
According to GPS data from her monitoring device, Hall’s last known location was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 24, 2026. She had informed her probation officer of a planned flight to Minnesota, where she was to begin serving her sentence. However, airline records confirm she did not board that flight. Phone records suggest she traveled instead to Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., raising concerns about her potential escape from justice.
Hall’s co-defendant, Kenneth G. Akpieyi of Marietta, Georgia, was convicted in July 2025 after a four-day jury trial and sentenced to 25 years in prison. While Hall admitted responsibility for $851,207 in losses to victims, Akpieyi was found responsible for over $3.5 million in fraud-related damages. He remains in custody under the Bureau of Prisons, while Hall continues to evade authorities.
The U.S. Department of Justice warns that Hall faces additional penalties if apprehended, including up to ten years in prison to be served consecutively to her existing sentence, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. The FBI urges anyone with information on her location to contact authorities immediately. This case highlights the ongoing challenge of transnational fraud schemes and the importance of international cooperation in bringing perpetrators to justice. The U.S. government remains committed to holding Hall accountable for her actions and ensuring victims receive justice.
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