His past says a lot about digital swagger and the kinds of stories that get told online. The Latest. In today's society, that's a business," he said. Jon Shilland, fraud lead with the UKs National Crime Agency, says it can be difficult tracking down criminal networks based in multiple jurisdictions. WebThe Latest news in Nigeria and world news. Snared by the FBI in 2020, Abbas is better known as Instagram influencer Hushpuppi, who flaunted a life of designer clothes, private jets and penthouse apartments to millions of followers. [38][39] A short documentary about the life of Hushpuppi till his arrest has been released by both Bloomberg[40] and BBC Africa.[41]. At Mondays sentencing, Abbas was sentenced to to 135 months in federal prison and was ordered to pay $922,857 in restitution to the law firm and $809,983 in restitution to the victim in Qatar. Ray Hushpuppi was already popular on Instagram for his luxurious lifestyle documented exhaustively on his page but he has gained another 100,000 followers since his dramatic arrest. [14] But di viral tori bin claim say 'US prosecutors on Wednesday 16 March 2022 submit court documents wey show say im committed fraud and launder over $400k from behind bars.'. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; One Million Dollars Per Constituency: Middle Belt Dev't Authority commissions three projects. When he was allowed 15 minutes in a virtual breakout room to confer with Mr Ponle, he returned to request a new date for the hearing. [35] A recent study demonstrates that many people on Twitter trivialize the fraudulent actions of online fraudsters such as Hushpuppi. Court documents allege Abbas's crimes cost victims almost $24m in total. At the time, Dubai police said they recovered $40m (32m) in cash, 13 luxury cars worth $6.8m, 21 computers, 47 smartphones and the addresses of nearly two million alleged victims. [30] The Police chief was further implicated after his conversation with Hushpuppi was released. Hushpuppi latest news: US justice department dismiss Hushpuppi $400 fraud in prison tori 17 March 2022 Instagram/@hushpuppi Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka [37] Specifically, the study showed that the criminalization of people indigenous to southern Nigeria, such as Hushpuppi, differs substantially from that of Northerners, suggesting that more Southerners are more implicated in internet fraud than Northerners. He also helped launder millions of pounds stolen from a British company and a professional soccer club in the United Kingdom, got a New York-based law firm to transfer nearly $923,000 to a criminal account and acknowledged in a plea agreement that he helped defraud someone in Qatar who sought a $15 million loan to build a school, federal prosecutors said. Yahoo Boys are romance scammers who took their name from the first free email available in Nigeria. A lawyer for Hushpuppi (pictured) says the US had no authority to transport him from Dubai. A complaint against him filed in court accuses Mr Abbas of leading a transnational network of cybercriminals whose targets included a US law firm, a foreign bank and an English Premier League football club. It stated that Hushpuppi risks 20 years imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offence. He fears that he might get apprehended at immigration immediately.". Read about our approach to external linking. I want to spend money to send this boy to jail, let him go for a very long time.. "We cannot say with 100% certainty that Hushpuppi is behind it," Mr Almazar says. "But if you look at the bank accounts that police have traced, they all belong to the records obtained by the police in their raids [on Hushpuppi's home in Dubai]." Use at least 8 characters, an uppercase and a lowercase letter, and a number or symbol. We will not share your email address with any third parties. He refused to discuss how he was getting paid for legal fees or the source of Hushpuppi's money. He was handed over to the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who took him to the United States of America to face the consequences of his criminal activities. He is facing charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Many went to Malaysia - and Abbas followed them, ending up in Kuala Lumpur around 2014, then Dubai in 2017. Just days after we put the same question to Snapchat, which deleted Hushpuppi's account. Some of it was laundered via the purchase of a watch worth a staggering $230,000. [19] The attack was of such seriousness in Malta that then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was forced to address parliament. Director of Media Relations, United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California Mrozek Thom tell BBC Pidgin say di tori no dey true. The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. He has previously denied having any criminal involvement with Abbas - and has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment. Ramon Abbas also known as Ray Hushpuppi faces 20 years in prison after he was arrested with a staggering 29 million of cash and 13 luxury cars. November 8, 2022. Most cyber-criminals remain nameless, faceless, anonymous and all but untraceable. Neither are named in the court documents. The United Arab Emirates has no extradition treaty with the United States but Dubai police said they had been extradited to the US. 2023 BBC. But soon, the cracks between the gang started to show. "But if you look at the bank accounts that police have traced, they all belong to the records obtained by the police in their raids [on Hushpuppi's home in Dubai].". Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the world's most high-profile fraudsters and faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years in the US after pleading guilty to money laundering. 40 mins; Na on top accuse say im dey plan to tiff plenty millions of dollars through business email compromise (BEC), yahoo-yahoo and oda mago-mago. He texted his contact - Nigerian police officer Abba Kyari - saying: "I want him to go through serious beating of his life. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. "Brother I can't send from UK to Mexico," Abbas's sidekick messaged him. It is the latest high-profile fraud case involving a Nigerian national in the United States but his lawyer says the US had no authority to transport him from Dubai. A United States District Court in California has fixed July 27 as new date for the trial of the Nigerian Instagram celebrity facing fraud charges, Ramon Abass, also File on 4's Hush Money: The Rise and Fall of an International Fraudster is available on BBC Sounds. [15], He is the subject of a 2017 song "Telli Person" by Nigerian singer Timaya featuring Olamide and Phyno, with whom he had a long-running feud. As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: He was generous. Why you fit trust BBC News; How dem dey take use am; His family are still in the UAE. a court deputy asked on Thursday when he dialled into the hearing from federal prison. According to court documents in California, he has cost victims 17m in total. Notorious and disgraced Internet fraudster, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also He used to buy beer for everyone around.". "[12], Many news platforms have reported that Abbas was once a second-hand clothes seller in Lagos. He used to buy beer for everyone around.". Some are hesitant to admit what has happened.". By Helen Clifton & Princess Abumere. Like many Yahoo Boys, Abbas broadened his criminal horizons. The reply shows the next heist was being planned: "Next one is in few weeks; will let you know when it's ready. "They came up with the idea of stealing identities. But Hushpuppi's lawyer says his client earned his money by monetising his large social media presence. Multiple sources in Malta including Times of Malta and Malta Today also repeated Forbes's claims that Hushpuppi could have been behind the attack. "We received calls from our members telling us they were sending money using Bank of Valletta's platform to their foreign suppliers," says Ms Mamo. This is when his Instagram posts - and crimes - went to another level. Please try different keywords. Naija News recalls Popular internet fraudster, Ramon Abbass also known as Hushpuppi, in an attempt to reduce his jail sentence opened up about his fraudulent career. "This case targets a key player in a large, transnational conspiracy who was living an opulent lifestyle in another country while allegedly providing safe havens for stolen money around the world," United States Attorney Nick Hanna said in a statement when the charges were announced. Many went to Malaysia and Abbas followed them, ending up in Kuala Lumpur around 2014, then Dubai in 2017. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. Damn, Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. Some are hesitant to admit what has happened.". File on 4's Hush Money: The Rise and Fall of an International Fraudster is available on BBC Sounds. Labour Day, May Day: Wetin e mean and how e start. [18], The affidavit also accused Abbas and a co-conspirator of conspiring to launder funds intended to be stolen through fraudulent wire transfers from a 'foreign financial institution' in which fraudulent wire transfers, totalling approximately US$14.7 million, were sent to bank accounts around the world in February 2019. "In my opinion, the FBI and the government here acted illegally when they kidnapped him from Dubai without any legal process to do so," Mr Pissetzky told the BBC. Marshals Service transport Hushpuppi to Los Angeles wia im trial go start. 0. Read about our approach to external linking. The accounts clerk is fooled into thinking it is a legitimate request from the supplier and, with a single click of a mouse, vast sums of money are lost. But the Premiership scam fell apart when the UK banks refused to pay into the Mexican account. [36], Therefore, the linguistic juxtapositions of "Hushpuppi" and "Mr. Ibrahim Magu" by Twitter users serve as exonerative social media devices more broadly and have real-life consequences. VideoOn board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, I didnt think make-up was made for black girls, Why there is serious money in kitchen fumes. The social media platform told the BBC that it had carried out an investigation into his account but had decided not to close it. The U. S. Central District Court in California has again postponed the sentencing of a Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Subscribe to our email alert of the day's top stories from the UK and around the world. The scams were to be carried out via Business Email Compromise (BEC). As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: "He was generous. They see another young person who was once like them become that great. That is the real story here.". The Latest. Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the "They keep finding out.". BEC fraud is a huge issue across the world. Hushpuppi's close associate, Mompha once revealed that his dad is still a cab driver in Lagos. For July 2020, di UAE later extradite Hushpuppi go Chicago for America under FBI special agents custody wia dem first carry am go court. They keep finding out.. By his own admission, during just an 18-month period defendant conspired to launder over $300 million, prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum, although they said much of the intended loss did not ultimately materialize.. "They came up with the idea of stealing identities. Prosecutors said Abbas and a Canadian man laundered money from various online crimes including bank cyberheists and business email compromise, or BEC, a prolific crime in which crooks hack into email accounts, pretend to be someone theyre not and fool victims into wiring money where it doesnt belong. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. Wia dis foto come from, Twitter/@USAO_LosAngeles. Recall that Hushpuppis sentence had been moved three times since getting convicted in 2021. And now Mr Kyari too is wanted in the US on charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. Available for over a year The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. But soon, the cracks between the gang started to show. Ramon Abbas could face up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering in July 2021. He texted his contact Nigerian police officer Abba Kyari saying: I want him to go through serious beating of his life. But some believe the actual total could be much higher. "Mr Ponle, are you there?" "But they also have to cover their losses, so right now he doesn't know how he can get back to the UAE. Abbas is also accused of committing fraud in Nigeria as he is also wanted by Nigeria's financial crime police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.[25]. Detectives seized more than 150 million dirham (about $40 million) in cash, 13 luxury cars worth Dh 25 million ($7M), 21 laptops, 47 smartphones, 15 memory storage devices, five external hard drives and 800,000 emails of potential victims alongside suitcases full of cash. "Damn," Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. NDLEA said Abba Kyari, who was suspended for his relationship with fraudster Abass Olorunwa, better known as Hushpuppi, is a member of an international drug cartel "With the intelligence at our disposal, the Agency The scam was very sophisticated. "[3] Prosecutors cited his "significant" financial assets, "deep ties to foreign countries" and a lack of ties to the United States. [13] Abbas prided himself on his humble beginnings. A spokesman for the US Between December 2019 and February 2020, Abbas and a gang of alleged middlemen in Kenya, Nigeria and the US groomed and conned the victim out of more than a million dollars. A fact known all too well by Dubai-based lawyer Barney Almazar. Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the world's most high-profile fraudsters and faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years in the US after pleading guilty to money laundering. LOS ANGELES A Nigerian social media influencer who called himself Ray Hushpuppi and flaunted a lavish lifestyle fueled by his efforts to launder millions of stolen dollars was sentenced Monday in Los Angeles to more than 11 years in federal prison. File on 4 & BBC Africa Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the world's most high Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into chaos. Where Is Hushpuppi? In 2019, he helped launder some $14.7 million stolen by North Korean hackers from a bank in Malta, funneling the money through banks in Romania and Bulgaria, prosecutors said. S2.3 Hushpuppi. Ramon Abbas known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi is considered by the FBI to be one of the worlds most high-profile fraudsters and faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years in the US after pleading guilty to money laundering. [36] By implication, if what was once morally condemnable becomes a source of valuation, it becomes a source of valuation in its consequences in society.
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