A notorious Nigerian Instagram influencer, Hushpuppi don has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison in the United States for his role in an international fraud syndicate.
Hushpuppi, real name Ramon Abbas, flaunted his affluent lifestyle on his page, which had 2.8 million followers before being disabled.
In addition, the judge in Los Angeles ordered him to pay $1,732,841 (£1,516,182) in restitution to two victims of fraud.
Abbas will serve his 135-month sentence in federal prison.
He pleaded guilty to money laundering last year.
According to court documents in California, Abbas admitted to attempting to steal more than $1.1 million from someone who wanted to fund a new children’s school in Qatar.
According to a statement on the US Justice Department’s website, the fraudster tricked his victim into providing funds for the school “by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website.” According to the US Justice Department, other suspects were also involved, with Abbas playing a key role.
According to the US Justice Department, Abbas also admitted to “several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that resulted in more than $24 million in losses.”
“Ramon Abbas… targeted both American and international victims, becoming one of the world’s most prolific money launderers,” Don Alway, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said in a court document on Monday.
“Abbas used his social media platforms to gain notoriety and boast about the enormous wealth he amassed through online bank heists, business email compromise scams, and other cyber-enabled fraud that financially destroyed a large number of victims and helped the North Korean regime.
“This significant sentence is the result of years of cooperation among law enforcement in numerous countries and should send a clear warning to international fraudsters that the FBI will seek justice for victims, regardless of whether criminals operate within or outside United States borders,” according to the statement.
In a handwritten letter addressed to Judge Otis D. Wright, Abbas expressed regret for his crimes and promised to compensate his victims with his own money.
He also claimed that the crime for which he was being prosecuted had only netted him $300,000.
When Abbas was detained while residing in Dubai in 2020, his opulent way of life came to an abrupt end.
His Instagram page was a far cry from his modest upbringing; it featured expensive cars and designer clothing.
Those who knew Abbas as a child told the BBC that his father was a taxi driver and his mother was a market trader, but as he grew older, he developed a penchant for blowing money. “He was very kind. He used to buy beer for everyone in the neighbourhood “Seye, a local driver, stated.
