One member threatened to blow the whole scam wide open as he was unhappy about the money he was getting. The FBI says $1.7bn was lost by individuals and companies in business email compromise scams in 2019 alone. "They came up with the idea of stealing identities. This article contains content provided by Instagram. 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. [17], Upon his arrival in the United States on 3 July 2020, he was accused of conspiring to launder 'hundreds of millions of dollars'. All rights reserved. I hope someday I will be inspiring more young people to join me on this path, read one Instagram post by Abbas, who pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering. 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. Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money Were talking about thousands of euros.. [13] Abbas prided himself on his humble beginnings. Some are hesitant to admit what has happened.". 2023 BBC. Social media influencer Hushpuppi sentenced to 11 years in prison over money laundering conspiracy. So when you see someone who is rich, you will pray to God to give you his kind of wealth.". 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". Despite himpleading guilty in April to money laundering, Hushpuppis social media is still live and attracting followers. Mr Almazar says shame prevents many more of Hushpuppis victims coming forward. The social media platform told the BBC that it had carried out an investigation into his account - but had decided not to close it. [36], Related to the above, another study on public opinion on Twitter revealed significant discrepancies between Nigeria's northern and southern regions regarding online fraudsters' arrests, convictions, and sentencing. He would not want to ruin his credibility and status rather than stay here and face these allegations. Ramon Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Hushpuppi - is considered by the FBI to be one of the His father was a taxi driver. The reply shows the next heist was being planned: "Next one is in few weeks; will let you know when it's ready. WebThe big boy Hushpuppi was humbled when he was handcuffed just like a petty criminal, his designers and latest cars could do nothing. Jon Shilland, fraud lead with the UK's National Crime Agency, says it can be difficult tracking down criminal networks based in multiple jurisdictions. Copyright 1997 - 2023 NewsNow Publishing Limited. He has spent his life in the UAE. 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. Please check you have typed it correctly. 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. A spokesman for the US Department of Justice told the BBC that Hushpuppi was expelled from Dubai and was not extradited. [33] On 8 November 2022, Hushpuppi was sentenced to over 11 years (135 months) in a federal prison. [29] The following day, a US Court granted an FBI warrant to arrest Abba Kyari. 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. April 26, 2023 Hushpuppi: Notorious Nigerian fraudster jailed for 11 years in US BBCView Full coverage on Google News Sources 1/ by newsdesk. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Abbas's final big scam before his arrest in Dubai in June 2020 was straight-up identity theft, borrowed from the Yahoo Boy romance scams of his youth. Premium Times (November 2022). Dr Oyenuga says Hushpuppi's influence endures as he is still regarded as a role model: "We're in a country where a lot of young people are suffering. I have seen parents who have taken their children to learn how to become Yahoo Boys., Seye says everyone knows Hushpuppi has committed a crime, but it is understandable: No-one prays to be poor. Dr Oyenuga says Hushpuppi's influence endures as he is still regarded as a role model: "We're in a country where a lot of young people are suffering. "Yahoo Boys" are romance scammers who took their name from the first free email available in Nigeria. The bank did not respond to a request for comment. To view this content choose accept and continue. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. Ramon Abbas, 40, also was ordered by a federal judge to pay $1.7 million in restitution to two fraud victims, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice. You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital. Mr Ponle, the other Nigerian arrested in Dubai and currently in custody in the United States, is also preparing for trial. Neither are named in the court documents. IE 11 is not supported. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. 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. Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, statement about Mr Abbas' initial court appearance, Africa Live: The latest from the continent, Flashy Nigerian Instagrammers 'caught with $40m in cash', 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, Serena Williams announces pregnancy at Met Gala, Corpse found under Tibet hotel bed leads to probe, New record as 4.56m Indians take flights in a day, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Japan to ban upskirting in stronger sex crime laws, BP profits of 4bn in three months spark criticism. 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. Feds used his posts to link him to alleged cyber crimes", "Money laundering: US court to sentence Hushpuppi on Valentine's Day", "Nigerian Influencer Ramon 'Hushpuppi' Abbas, Accused By FBI Of Money Laundering, Is Denied Bail", "Why We Arrested Hushpuppi Dubai Police", "How the FBI used Instagram and Snapchat to track down an alleged conman in Dubai", "Di big numbers behind Hushpuppi arrest and why e shake Nigeria", "Hushpuppi is into real estate, not a fraudster - Lawyer", "Nigerian Man Sentenced to Over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Launder Tens of Millions of Dollars from Online Scams", "Instagram influencer 'Hushpuppi' arrested amid claims of 350million global cyberscam", "Hushpuppi: Formerly A Second-hand Clothes Seller In Lagos, Now A Billionaire Fraudster", "Mompha Shares Photo Of The Yellow Taxi Allegedly Being Used By Hushpuppi's Dad To Earn A Living", "INSIDE STORY: The Lagos slum where Hushpuppi bought food on credit and washed cars to survive", "Hushpuppi Blasts Phyno, Olamide & Timaya After Watching "telli Person" Musical Video", "VIDEO: "Hushpuppi Was Warned Before His Arrest" - Fans React To Timaya's Telli Person Video", "Hushpupi Arraigned in US Court for Conspiring to Defraud English Premier League Club $124m (see full charges)", "Update 3 | BOV cyber attack: 13 million transferred out with false transactions", "Hacker linked to BOV's 13 million cyber heist denied bail", "Nigerian scammer arrested by FBI could be behind 13m BOV cyberattack", "Nigerian National Brought to U.S. to Face Charges of Conspiring to Launder Hundreds of Millions of Dollars from Cybercrime Schemes", "Nigerian Instagram Star Aided North Korea Cyber Crime, U.S. Says", https://media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2020/07/usa_v_abbas_complaint_0.pdf, "Hushpuppi connected to several cyber crimes EFCC", "Five reasons Hushpuppi must remain in detention - U.S. Court", "The Fall of the Billionaire Gucci Master", "Hushpuppi: Nigerian influencer pleads guilty to money laundering", "JUST IN: Hushpuppi narrates how he bribed Nigerian top cop Abba Kyari in $1.1 million deal", "Nigeria respond afta US order for arrest of Abba Kyari wey dem indict for Hushpuppi fraud case", "FBI Releases Conversation Between Hushpuppi And Abba Kyari [See Full Text]", "Hushpuppi thanks FBI for doing great job to make world safer from "criminals like myself", "Hushpuppi scores last-minute relief as court postpones sentencing to November 2022", "Hushpuppi: Notorious Nigerian fraudster jailed for 11 years in US", https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11142, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/564560-rapper-50-cent-to-produce-hushpuppi-series.html, https://www.instagram.com/p/CkwSkKzORE-/?hl=en, https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2021-hushpuppi-gucci-influencer/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXA7rcVBslU, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hushpuppi&oldid=1149991788, Nigerian expatriates in the United Arab Emirates, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Hushpuppi, Hush, Ray Hushpuppi, The Billionaire Gucci Blaiso, Alleged business email compromise, scam, and money laundering, This page was last edited on 15 April 2023, at 17:51. A Nigerian man accused of multimillion-dollar fraud and money laundering by the United States was kidnapped by the FBI from Dubai, his lawyer says. "We cannot say with 100% certainty that Hushpuppi is behind it," Mr Almazar says. "The scam was very sophisticated. The 37-year-old, who was arrested by the FBI in a Los Angeles raid, has pleaded guilty to money laundering. As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: "He was generous. Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Shopping trolleys filled with goods were abandoned at checkouts as payment systems shut down. It was to receive 100m from a Premier League Football Club, and 200m from a UK firm. The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. Fashion; by newsdesk. 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 Little did they know that his lavish lifestyle was funded through a complex web of cyber-heists. Too bad they caught on, or it would have been a nice pay out.. Is climate change killing Australian wine? 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. "I want to spend money to send this boy to jail, let him go for a very long time.". Just days after we put the same question to Snapchat, which deleted Hushpuppi's account. And now Mr Kyari too is wanted in the US on charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. It is alleged that Mr Kyari then falsely arrested and detained the middleman for a month in a squalid Nigerian cell. None of the Premiership clubs would confirm whether or not they were the intended victim. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. 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. 40 mins; 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. 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. Breaking news: an unexpected interview. The Chicago defence lawyer's argument that Hushpuppi was paid by designer brands for promotion has set the stage for what promises to be a long trial in American courts. 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 . ; They're sometimes called 419 scams, after the relevant article in the Nigerian Criminal Code. Available for over a year "Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money We're talking about thousands of euros.". (2022). But soon, the cracks between the gang started to show. 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. Antoine Verglas Opens Up About His Journey To Becoming A Fashion Photographer. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. BEC fraud is a huge issue across the world. 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. He is accused of converting some of the proceeds into a Bitcoin digital wallet, effectively ensuring that they could not be traced. Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into "chaos". To view this content choose accept and continue. [30] The Police chief was further implicated after his conversation with Hushpuppi was released. Hushpuppi, Nigerian social media influencer, funded his luxurious lifestyle by cybercrime. Mr Almazar says shame prevents many more of Hushpuppi's victims coming forward. The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. 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. He texted his contact Nigerian police officer Abba Kyari saying: I want him to go through serious beating of his life. 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. "Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money We're talking about thousands of euros.". 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. 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. His lawyer Michael B Nash told the judge at a detention hearing on Thursday that he had not had a chance to speak to his client. 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. But the Premiership scam fell apart when the UK banks refused to pay into the Mexican account. Don't miss out! Ramon Abbas, 40, also was ordered by a federal judge to pay $1.7 million in restitution to two fraud victims, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. None of the Premiership clubs would confirm whether or not they were the intended victim. [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. 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. Hushpuppi was American social networking service, Instagram has deactivated the verified account of the embattled internet fraudster, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, Naija News reports. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. Read about our approach to external linking. This Instagram post cannot be displayed in your browser. Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into chaos. Instagram celebrity known as Ray Hushpuppi has been charged for stealing more than $1.1 million in an elaborate scam in which he faked the financing of a Qatari school. Click to get a sign-in link sent to your email. Only a single letter or number will be different. You may want to read Metas Instagram cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. "I really don't have any comment right now, I have to learn the facts about this case," he told the BBC. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) accuses Mr Abbas, 37, of conspiring to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from frauds known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) and other scams. They keep finding out.. "Afta we don look di document wey dey inside di recent media accounts, di U.S. Attorney Office for Los Angeles, wey file di case against Mr. Abbas, no filed any such document. 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. 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. 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. [16] Many viewed the song as a prophetic warning that was fulfilled with his arrest. "Damn," Abbas said in a text to a fellow scammer at the time in messages obtained by the FBI. In February 2019, $14.7 million was transferred out of the bank through false international transactions to accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom, Czech Republic, and Hong Kong. [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. This is when his Instagram posts - and crimes - went to another level. 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. Exclusive: Woodberry, Hushpuppis ally, pleads guilty to fraud, Hushpuppis ally, Woodberry pleads guilty to fraud charge in US, Hushpuppis ally, Woodberry, pleads guilty to internet fraud, forfeits $8m, others, Hushpuppis close ally Woodberry pleads guilty, forfeits $8m, luxury Dubai assets, Posh Dubai assets Hushpuppis ally, Woodberry, is to forfeit to US govt, Hushpuppis colleague Woodberry pleads guilty to internet fraud, to forfeit Dubai assets, return $8m to victims. "[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. Show more Download Choose your file Higher quality (128kbps) Video, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry, he attempted to launder 13m euros (11m; $15m) stolen by a gang of North Korean hackers from the Maltese Bank of Valletta, pleading guilty in April to money laundering, The Nigerian super sleuth wanted in the US, Flashy Nigerian Instagrammers 'caught with $40m in cash', Why Nigerian cyber fraudsters are 'role models', Serena Williams announces pregnancy at Met Gala, Corpse found under Tibet hotel bed leads to probe, New record as 4.56m Indians take flights in a day, Shooting suspect was deported four times - US media, Met Gala 2023: Stars celebrate Karl Lagerfeld, Japan to ban upskirting in stronger sex crime laws, BP profits of 4bn in three months spark criticism. Lazarus, S., & Button, M. (2022). Court documents allege Abbas's crimes cost victims almost $24m in total. He is a celebrity. Why Nigerian cyber fraudsters are 'role models', 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. Only a single letter or number will be different. He has previously denied having any criminal involvement with Abbas - and has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment. 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. 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. A Nigerian influencer known as Hushpuppi who was arrested in Dubai for financial crimes costing tens of millions of dollars is scheduled to be sentenced by a California court on Monday. "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. Sign up for a FREE NewsNow account and get our email alert of the day's top stories from the UK and around the world. Di charges compromise, frauds and oda scams wey include plans wey target one U.S law firm, one foreign bank and one English Premier League Soccer club.
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