This article contains content provided by Instagram. April 26, 2023 Hushpuppi: Notorious Nigerian fraudster jailed for 11 years in US BBCView Full coverage on Google News Sources 1/ by newsdesk. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. 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. You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. Where Is Hushpuppi? "Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money We're talking about thousands of euros.". Breaking news: an unexpected interview. Jon Shilland, fraud lead with the UK's National Crime Agency, says it can be difficult tracking down criminal networks based in multiple jurisdictions. In a statement about Mr Abbas' initial court appearance, the DoJ said "FBI special agents earlier this week obtained custody of Abbas and brought him to the United States" without giving any further details. S2.3 Hushpuppi A social media influencer is laundering cash for the hackers to fund his luxury lifestyle 39 mins 27 Mar 2023 S2.2 Big Boss The hackers turn to the dark web. A notorious Instagram influencer from Nigeria has been jailed for more than 11 years in the US for his role in an international fraud syndicate. murders, a place with a murky past. Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. He has spent his life in the UAE. He is a celebrity. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. One UK victim, who wanted to remain anonymous, says he lost 500,000, has been forced to leave the UAE and is himself facing criminal proceedings in Dubai because of the debt he has incurred as a result of the fraud. Shopping trolleys filled with goods were abandoned at checkouts as payment systems shut down. [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. Notorious and disgraced Internet fraudster, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. Abba Kyari, who has a reputation in Nigeria as a "super cop", has been suspended and is wanted in the US, I have seen parents who have taken their children to learn how to become Yahoo Boys", On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. This article contains content provided by Instagram. Jon Shilland, fraud lead with the UK's National Crime Agency, says it can be difficult tracking down criminal networks based in multiple jurisdictions. In May 2019, Abbas was tasked with setting up a bank account in Mexico. We cannot say with 100% certainty that Hushpuppi is behind it, Mr Almazar says. The BBC has used newly available court documents to uncover the man behind cyber heists that have cost his victims millions, from his humble beginnings as a Yahoo Boy hustler in Nigeria to a so-called Billionaire Gucci Master living a life of luxury in Dubai before his arrest last year. Di Nigerian Instagram celebrity dey US to face charges on top accuse say im conspire to launder Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from business email. Instagram star hushpuppi has been charged with conspiracy to commit a massive money laundering scheme by the Department of Justice. In May 2019, Abbas was tasked with setting up a bank account in Mexico. Recall that the FBI is prosecuting Ramon Abbas, a.k.a. Despite him pleading guilty in April to money laundering, Hushpuppi's social media is still live and attracting followers. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. He was sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison and was ordered to pay more than $30 million in restitution. And now Mr Kyari too is wanted in the US on charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. But Hushpuppi's lawyer says his client earned his money by monetising his large social media presence. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. Show more Download Choose your file Higher quality (128kbps) An article in Bloomberg Businessweek details his actions leading to his arrest, incarceration, and a trial on 27 July 2021, in Los Angeles. Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the Yahoo Boys are romance scammers who took their name from the first free email available in Nigeria. Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into "chaos". Some are hesitant to admit what has happened.". He is not a citizen of the United States, the US had absolutely no authority to take him," his lawyer says. 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[9], On the night his apartment at the Palazzo Versace was raided in an operation code-named Fox Hunt 2, Abbas was arrested alongside eleven others in six simultaneous raids. Mr Pissetzky admits that he is not "100% familiar" with social media and his children consider him too old but he knows "that's how people make money today". I went to Nigeria to meet the man who scammed me, AI chatbots 'may soon be more intelligent than us', Russia troop deaths hit 20,000 in five months - US, Palestinian hunger striker dies in Israel prison, The 17 most eye-catching looks at the Met Gala, The burden of being cricket legend Tendulkar's son, 'My wife and six children joined Kenya starvation cult', On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. 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. On Instagram, he dropped the "Billionaire Gucci Master" moniker for "Real Estate Developer" about eight months before his arrest and subsequent transfer to the US to stand trial. "Damn," Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. Listen to the latest episodes of The Lazarus Heist on BBC Sounds. By clicking "OK" or continuing to use this site, you agree that we may collect and use your personal data and set Neither are named in the court documents. He has previously denied having any criminal involvement with Abbas - and has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment. Lazarus, S., Button, M., & Adogame, A. Hushpuppi is facing criminal charges in the United States for conspiracy to launder money obtained from business email compromise frauds and other scams, including schemes that defrauded a US law firm of about $40 million, illegally transferred $14.7 million from a foreign financial institution, and targeted to steal $124 million from an English Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. BEC fraud is a huge issue across the world. Rapper 50 Cents to Produce Hushpuppi Series, retrieved: Bloomberg (June 2021). He texted his contact Nigerian police officer Abba Kyari saying: I want him to go through serious beating of his life. The purported messages allege that Hushpuppi paid 8m naira ($19,000; 14,000) into accounts linked to the Nigerian police whose details were provided by Mr Kyari, to detain Mr Chibuzor. The Latest. "His clients understand that he was victimised," Mr Almazar explains. They came up with the idea of stealing identities. His family are still in the UAE. His clients understand that he was victimised, Mr Almazar explains. Kemi Olunloyo set to release long list of actresses who slept Fraud:Woodberry, Hushpuppis Partner, to Forfeit $8m Choice Properties, Hushpuppis accomplice pleads guilty to internet fraud; agrees to pay $8m to victims, Hushpuppis Ally, Woodberry, Pleads Guilty To Internet Fraud, Forfeits $8m, Others, EXCLUSIVE: Woodberry, Hushpuppis ally, pleads guilty to fraud, Hushpuppis Close Ally Woodberry Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $8m, Luxury Dubai Assets, Hushpuppi's associate, Woodberry, pleads guilty, forfeits $8m, assets. By clicking 'Create Account and Subscribe' you agree to us creating an account for you and subscribing you to our newsletter in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Legal Notice.Emails, which may be sent daily or less frequently, may include marketing elements. As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: He was generous. Premium Times (November 2022). According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Ray Hushpuppi - and another cyber-heist suspect Olalekan Jacob Ponle (aka Mr Woodberry) were arrested in Dubai, where they lived, in June. He fears that he might get apprehended at immigration immediately.". Abbas was one of the most prolific money launderers in the world, Don Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles office, said in the statement. "I have seen parents who have taken their children to learn how to become Yahoo Boys. 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. His past says a lot about digital swagger and the kinds of stories that get told online. Hushpuppi's former home, 9 Ogunyomi Street, in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos, Hushpuppi's Instagram posts about his luxurious lifestyle attracted hundreds of thousands of likes, Investigators say it is difficult to track down scammers when those in a network are based all over the world. So when you see someone who is rich, you will pray to God to give you his kind of wealth.". For pretrial, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi don bin plead not guilty to di four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. "The scam was very sophisticated. In February 2019, he attempted to launder 13m euros (11m; $15m) stolen by a gang of North Korean hackers from the Maltese Bank of Valletta. He has spent his life in the UAE. Hushpuppi is currently being held in the United States for financial offences bordering on wire fraud to which he has pleaded guilty and faces a 20-year jail term if convicted. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(8), 504-511. Recall that Hushpuppis sentence had been moved three times since getting convicted in 2021. Mr Almazar says shame prevents many more of Hushpuppis victims coming forward. Is climate change killing Australian wine? "[3] Prosecutors cited his "significant" financial assets, "deep ties to foreign countries" and a lack of ties to the United States. [29] The following day, a US Court granted an FBI warrant to arrest Abba Kyari. His family are still in the UAE. The song contained lyrics directed toward Abbas indirectly accusing him of being a swindler and lavishing his money on designer clothes instead of investing in profitable ventures and warning him that he would soon be caught by authorities. The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. And then with that identity theft, they went into dating [scams]," explains Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a cybercrime expert at Lagos State University. He assumed the identity of a New York banker to entrap his victim, a Qatari businessperson seeking a $15m loan to build a new school in the Gulf state. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth cybercrime; he was a Yahoo, Seye says. Instagram Influencer, Nigerian Scammer Indicted for Stealing Over $1.1 Million Cardinal News News Ticker Male, Age 30, Accused of Stabbing, Killing His Mother in House They Shared in South Elgin CRIME BLOG C Ramon Abbas - better known as Hushpuppi to his millions of followers - has pleaded guilty to money laundering in a US court.The Nigerian social media influencer was famous for his extravagant lifestyle, showing off his designer clothing, luxury holidays, and expensive cars to 2.5million Instagram followers and 1.3 million Snapchat subscribers.But unknown to his fans, his lifestyle was funded by cybercrime.Originally from humble beginnings in Lagos, the so-called 'billionaire Gucci master' living a life of luxury in Dubai is now facing a 20-year jail sentence in the USA - and the FBI have dubbed him one of the world's most high-profile money launderers.Reporter: Princess AbumereProducer: Helen CliftonFilmed and edited: Joshua AkinyemiAnimations: Mayowa AlabiSubscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica\rWebsite: https://www.bbc.com/africa\rFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/\rTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/\rInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ No comments. Professionals were victimised. A spokesman for the US Department of Justice told the BBC that Hushpuppi was expelled from Dubai and was not extradited. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Hushpuppi reported $400,000 fraud inside US prison no be true. Professionals were victimised. None of the Premiership clubs would confirm whether or not they were the intended victim. But some believe the actual total could be much higher. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. [33] On 8 November 2022, Hushpuppi was sentenced to over 11 years (135 months) in a federal prison. Hushpuppi, for charges bordering on Business Email Compromise (BEC) and money laundering. Abba Kyari, who has a reputation in Nigeria as a "super cop", has been suspended and is wanted in the US, I have seen parents who have taken their children to learn how to become Yahoo Boys", On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. A fact known all too well by Dubai-based lawyer Barney Almazar. And then with that identity theft, they went into dating [scams]," explains Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a cybercrime expert at Lagos State University. According to court documents in California, he has cost victims 17m in total. "You'll have to ask them about why they called it an extradition," the US Department of Justice (DoJ) spokesman responded in an email. April 26, 2023 Hushpuppi: Notorious Nigerian fraudster jailed for 11 years in US BBCView Full coverage on Google News Sources 1/ by newsdesk. And then with that identity theft, they went into dating [scams], explains Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a cybercrime expert at Lagos State University. He would not want to ruin his credibility and status rather than stay here and face these allegations. 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. His father was a taxi driver. IE 11 is not supported. 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. "[27], On 28 July 2021, Hushpuppi pleaded guilty to money laundering[28] and also identified a Deputy Commissioner of Police in Nigeria, Abba Kyari, as an accomplice in his $1.1 million scam deal. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. His father was a taxi driver. 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. Too bad they caught on, or it would have been a nice pay out.". He represents around 25 people - including eight UK citizens - in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), all of whom believe they are victims of one of Hushpuppi's BEC scams. Just days after we put the same question to Snapchat, which deleted Hushpuppis account. 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. Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into chaos. [7] He claimed to be a real estate developer. Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as "Mr Woodbery", flaunted his wealth, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. "Yes, please," he replied, subdued. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; The reply shows the next heist was being planned: "Next one is in few weeks; will let you know when it's ready. Mr Ponle, the other Nigerian arrested in Dubai and currently in custody in the United States, is also preparing for trial. Just days after we put the same question to Snapchat, which deleted Hushpuppi's account. In that email the scammers - posing as a supplier awaiting payment - typically say they've switched banks, so the payment will need to be wired to a different account; the details for which they will provide. The bank did not respond to a request for comment. Please try different keywords. To see how, and to learn how to control cookies, An existing account was found for this email address. Like many Yahoo Boys, Abbas broadened his criminal horizons. He pleaded guilty in 2020 to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, prosecutors said. WebHushpuppis Ally, Woodberry Pleads Guilty To Yahoo Yahoo, To Forfeit $8 Million, Cars, Watches, Others. Mr Abbas' lawyer Gal Pissetzky told the BBC that his client, who posts on Instagram about his extravagant lifestyle, was not a criminal and had made his money legitimately. Abbas, under the name Ray Hushpuppi, had more than 2 million Instagram followers before he was arrested in 2020 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. "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].". Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. Despite him pleading guilty in April to money laundering, Hushpuppi's social media is still live and attracting followers. "OMG. Assignment reveals the inside story of Ramon Abbas, one of a new breed of global cyber-fraudsters. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. The United States Central District Court in California has sentenced Nigerian internet sensation, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi to 11 years in prison. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. "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. [35] A recent study demonstrates that many people on Twitter trivialize the fraudulent actions of online fraudsters such as Hushpuppi. 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.'. We will not share your email address with any third parties. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. According to the affidavit[24] other communications between Abbas and one of his co-conspirators indicated that the two had conspired to "launder tens, and at times hundreds, of millions of dollars that were proceeds of other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including a fraudulent scheme to steal 100 million ($124 million) from an English Premier League football club. Subscribe to our email alert of the day's top stories from the UK and around the world. Multiple sources in Malta including Times of Malta and Malta Today also repeated Forbes's claims that Hushpuppi could have been behind the attack. His social media posts showed him living a life of luxury, complete with private jets, ultra-expensive cars and high-end clothes and watches. But some believe the actual total could be much higher. They then appeared in a Chicago court on 3 July. "Brother I can't send from UK to Mexico," Abbas's sidekick messaged him. His family are still in the UAE. Huspuppi go get court sentencing for dis charges on 11 July, 2022. Click here to sign-in and subscribe via a link sent to your email. Court documents allege Abbass crimes cost victims almost $24m in total. "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]." They see another young person who was once like them become that great. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. Marshals Service transport Hushpuppi to Los Angeles wia im trial go start. The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. 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. "The scam was very sophisticated. [35] Specifically, Twitter responses (from Nigerians in Nigeria and abroad) innovatively merge the names of a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Mr. Ibrahim Magu accused of fraudulent and corrupt practices) and Hushpuppi as "Hush Ibrahim," "Hush Magu," and "Puppi Magu. "[36] Creating these phrases is essential linguistic maneuvering, enabling a sharp comparison of the similarities between Hushpuppi, a fraudster, popularly known as an offender, and a prominent authority representative, uncritically seen as a law-abiding citizen. A request for his bail and the chance to stay with his girlfriend's uncle in Homewood, Illinois, was denied on the grounds that he presented a risk of non-appearance. 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. He used to buy beer for everyone around.". "Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money We're talking about thousands of euros.". Read about our approach to external linking. "Damn," Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. 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. Only a single letter or number will be different. The reply shows the next heist was being planned: Next one is in few weeks; will let you know when its ready. [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. Stay informed. Please check you have typed it correctly. [26] At Abbas' detention hearing, his lawyer, Pissetzky told the court that his client posed no flight risk because of the damage it would do to his credibility online, adding, "He is loved and respected. 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 Hushpuppis home in Dubai].. The sentencing of confessed internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi has been shifted by the US Central District Court in California. It did not name the institution by name but a bank in Malta reported losing the same sum to hackers that same month. Please click 'Sign in and Subscribe' to continue. [3] If convicted of conspiracy to engage in money laundering, Abbas would face a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, perhaps even 20 years, after which he will be deported to his home country Nigeria. It is alleged that Mr Kyari then falsely arrested and detained the middleman for a month in a squalid Nigerian cell. [32], On 19 September 2022, Judge Otis Wright delayed Hushpuppi's sentencing to 3 November 2022. "We don check wit di FBI agent wey supposedly author di document, and im confam say na fake.". [37], In November 2022, Curtis James Jackson III, a.k.a, 50 Cent, announced his plan on Instagram to shoot a television series on the life of Hushpuppi, including his fraudulent career path and sentencing. The affidavit claims that Mr Abbas conspired to launder $14.7m (11.7m) stolen in a cyber-heist from a foreign financial institution in February 2019.
