Nigerian fraudster ‘Hushpuppi’ jailed for 11 years in US, ordered to pay $1.7m

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. He was arrested in Dubai two years ago and has been jailed in the US for over a decade.

Ray Hushpuppi’s social media page which is now deactivated, had 2.8 million followers. On Instagram, he used to flaunt his lavish lifestyle. Ramon Abbas became a prolific money launderer. He used to leverage his social media accounts to brag and gain notoriety.

Nigerian influencer Hushpuppi’s businesses included cyber-related frauds, online bank heists, email compromise scams, etc. It ruined many victims financially and provided assistance to the North Korean regime.

What Are Hushpuppi's Crimes?

Hushpuppi pleaded guilty and accepted his role in money laundering. He accepted that he tried to steal over $1.1 million from a person looking to fund a school for children in Qatar.

Ramon Abbas created a fake website and played the role of a banking official to frame the man. He admitted to many other crimes amounting to over $24 million loss to its victims.

A 2019 scheme in Malta led to Malta's chaos as the payment systems shut down because he tried to launder $13 million. A North Korean hacking gang stole the money from the Maltese Bank of Valletta.

FAQs:

1. When was Hushpuppi caught?
   He was caught in Dubai two years ago and has been jailed in the US for over 11 years.
2. What are the crimes that Hushpuppi was part of?
   His businesses include cyber-related frauds, online bank heists, email compromise scams, etc.