The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. No comments. Hushpuppi latest news: US justice department dismiss Hushpuppi $400 fraud in prison tori 17 March 2022 Instagram/@hushpuppi Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. "We don check wit di FBI agent wey supposedly author di document, and im confam say na fake.". We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. 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. Show more Download Choose your file Higher quality (128kbps) 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. WebThe big boy Hushpuppi was humbled when he was handcuffed just like a petty criminal, his designers and latest cars could do nothing. We received calls from our members telling us they were sending money using Bank of Vallettas platform to their foreign suppliers, says Ms Mamo. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. His family are still in the UAE. Rapper 50 Cents to Produce Hushpuppi Series, retrieved: Bloomberg (June 2021). WebHushpuppis Ally, Woodberry Pleads Guilty To Yahoo Yahoo, To Forfeit $8 Million, Cars, Watches, Others. They keep finding out.. Citing interviews with old neighbours of Abbas, TheCable.ng reported that Abbas had a reputation as a "Yahoo Yahoo boy" a local name for a cybercriminal, was not supported by his mother, had not lifted any of his old friends from poverty, and had ignored multiple warnings regarding his lifestyle. Is climate change killing Australian wine? "They keep finding out.". "The scam was very sophisticated. 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. An individual may contact you via e-mail, explaining he needs help to transfer money, Will tell you that political turmoil or a natural disaster makes it difficult for him to make the transfer, Will ask you to give him your financial details so that he can transfer the money into your account, This allows him to access and steal from your account, Be careful what you post on social media and dating sites as scammers use the details to better understand you and target you. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. "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. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. 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. [17], Upon his arrival in the United States on 3 July 2020, he was accused of conspiring to launder 'hundreds of millions of dollars'. "His clients understand that he was victimised," Mr Almazar explains. 2023 BBC. None of the Premiership clubs would confirm whether or not they were the intended victim. This article contains content provided by Instagram. Shopping trolleys filled with goods were abandoned at checkouts as payment systems shut down. [7] Though the affidavit did not name any bank, according to Forbes, the date of the attack and amount mentioned in the affidavit matched that of the attack on Malta's Bank of Valletta in February 2019. 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. And then with that identity theft, they went into dating [scams], explains Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a cybercrime expert at Lagos State University. "We cannot say with 100% certainty that Hushpuppi is behind it," Mr Almazar says. Like many Yahoo Boys, Abbas broadened his criminal horizons. 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. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; Some are hesitant to admit what has happened.". 2023 BBC. "If Dubai wanted to expel him, they should have expelled him back to Nigeria. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. 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.. The complaint against him says one Chicago-based company "was defrauded into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2m". 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. [29] The following day, a US Court granted an FBI warrant to arrest Abba Kyari. Na U.S. law firm, one foreign bank and one English Premier League club be im target. He is a celebrity. Notorious and disgraced Internet fraudster, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. BEC fraud is a huge issue across the world. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. Insurance Penetration: CIIG moves to deepen awareness on policy purchase, May Day Celebration: Workers in Nkwanta rally to demand better labor conditions -Adom TV News, Access to Electricity: 12 border communities at Chereponi are connected to the national grid - Adom. [2], Until his arrest by the Dubai Police in June 2020 and subsequent extradition to the United States,[3][4][5][6] Abbas posted pictures and videos of his lavish spending on exotic cars, watches, designer clothes, bags from expensive brands like Gucci, Fendi, and Louis Vuitton and of himself boarding helicopters, with celebrities, footballers, and Nigerian politicians or while on charter jets. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(8), 504-511. The Judge had initially rejected the plea of the defendant's motion for a delay of judgement. Jon Shilland, fraud lead with the UKs National Crime Agency, says it can be difficult tracking down criminal networks based in multiple jurisdictions. Heliyon, 8(11), e11142. As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: "He was generous. A lawyer for Hushpuppi (pictured) says the US had no authority to transport him from Dubai. We will not share your email address with any third parties. "Yahoo Boys" are romance scammers who took their name from the first free email available in Nigeria. To view this content choose accept and continue. a court deputy asked on Thursday when he dialled into the hearing from federal prison. Available for over a year BBC News, Pidgin. You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. 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. 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. "I have seen parents who have taken their children to learn how to become Yahoo Boys. Email scams typically try to steal an individual's personal information, or to defraud them by impersonating a legitimate business contact and tricking the target into sending money into a wrong account. He would not want to ruin his credibility and status rather than stay here and face these allegations. Many went to Malaysia and Abbas followed them, ending up in Kuala Lumpur around 2014, then Dubai in 2017. Di social media influencer don dey detention for almost two years now. [33] On 8 November 2022, Hushpuppi was sentenced to over 11 years (135 months) in a federal prison. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? But the Premiership scam fell apart when the UK banks refused to pay into the Mexican account. The Latest. [37] The study concludes that colonial legacies contributed to the North-South divide regarding online fraud patterns in Nigeria. Why you fit trust BBC News; How dem dey take use am; 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. And now Mr Kyari too is wanted in the US on charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. 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. In May 2019, Abbas was tasked with setting up a bank account in Mexico. Hushpuppi alleges bribing DCP Abba Kyari to arrest co-fraudster in $1.1m scam By Motunrayo on Thursday, July 29, 2021 Hushpuppi, the embattled Nigerian socialite, alleged that he bribed Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police (DCP), to arrest a co-fraudster, according to US court documents. Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. "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. Despite him pleading guilty in April to money laundering, Hushpuppis social media is still live and attracting followers. S2.3 Hushpuppi. please read our, Internet Fraud: U.S. court sets Mr Woodberrys sentencing for July 11, Hushpuppis accomplice pleads guilty to internet fraud; agrees to pay $8 million to victims, Fraud: Hushpuppis partner forfeits choice Dubai properties, to pay $8m, Hushpuppis partner Woodberry to pay $8 million after pleading guilty to fraud. ", Seye says everyone knows Hushpuppi has committed a crime, but it is understandable: "No-one prays to be poor. None of the Premiership clubs would confirm whether or not they were the intended victim. Please click 'Create Account and Subscribe' to create a new account and subscribe to our email alerts. Breaking news: an unexpected interview. 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. Copyright 1997 - 2023 NewsNow Publishing Limited. Dr Oyenuga says Hushpuppis influence endures as he is still regarded as a role model: Were in a country where a lot of young people are suffering. Like many Yahoo Boys, Abbas broadened his criminal horizons. They then appeared in a Chicago court on 3 July. But some believe the actual total could be much higher. Some of it was laundered via the purchase of a watch worth a staggering $230,000. Most cyber-criminals remain nameless, faceless, anonymous and all but untraceable. 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. 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. 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 In that email the scammers posing as a supplier awaiting payment typically say theyve switched banks, so the payment will need to be wired to a different account; the details for which they will provide. Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. The bank said it managed to recover 10m euros. "Damn," Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. Mr Ponle, 29, ran the "Mr Woodberry" Instagram account but the FBI says he used the alias "Mark Kain" in emails. The United States Central District Court in California has sentenced Nigerian internet sensation, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi to 11 years in prison. Investigators noted the "substantial wealth" on display on hushpuppi's account, where he poses with supercars, shopping bags and in luxury locations. [34], Public opinion on social media offers opportunities to explore contestations between diverse viewpoints. The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. Lazarus, S., & Button, M. (2022). 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. "We cannot say with 100% certainty that Hushpuppi is behind it," Mr Almazar says. [1] He was sentenced in the United States to 11 years 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 Premier League club. Experts don bin tell BBC Pidgin say if court find Hushpuppi guilty of di accuse, e fit face maximum prison sentence of nothing less than 20 years for federal prison. He has spent his life in the UAE. It is alleged that Mr Kyari then falsely arrested and detained the middleman for a month in a squalid Nigerian cell. Tori bin dey circulate for local media say di Instagram celebrity bin receive fresh charges. The social media platform told the BBC that it had carried out an investigation into his account - but had decided not to close it.
Itv Meridian Studio Backdrop,
Articles H
