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“Hushpuppi” confesses to multi-million fraud

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER

RAMON Olorunwa Abbas – alias “Hushpuppi”- the Nigerian considered by the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to be one of the world’s high profile fraudsters, has confessed to his crimes, which involves $24-million that was conned out of unsuspecting business people.

He is due to be sentenced on October 25 and faces up to  20 years in prison.

The confession and conviction of “Hushpuppi” (37) has also led to the arrest of three of his accomplices – Nigerians living in the US – and the suspension of a top Nigerian police officer who allegedly affected an arrest and was paid for it by the fraudster.

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According to court documents which were recently unsealed, “Hushpuppi”, entered into a plea agreement which outlined his role in the scheme which was used to con the Qatari businessman.

 “The defendants allegedly faked the financing of a Qatari school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website in a scheme that also bribed a foreign official to keep the elaborate pretense going after the victim was tipped off,” said Acting United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. Wilkinson said “Hushpuppi” played a significant role in the scheme, funded his luxurious lifestyle by laundering illicit proceeds generated by con artists who use increasingly sophisticated means. “In conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we will identify and prosecute perpetrators of business email compromise scams, which is a massive and growing international crime problem,” Wilkinson said.

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According to the FBI,  “Hushpuppi”, who is among the most high-profile money launderers in the world, has admitted to his significant role in perpetrating global “Business Email Compromise”  fraud, a scheme currently plaguing Americans.

Said Kristi K. Johnson, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office:  “His celebrity status and ability to make connections seeped into legitimate organizations and led to several spin-off schemes in the U.S. and abroad. Today’s announcement deals a crucial blow to this international network and hopefully serves as a warning to potential victims targeted with this type of theft.”

According to the indictment, “Hushpuppi” allegedly conspired with Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul,” 28, of Kenya, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, 40, of Nigeria, to defraud the Qatari businessperson by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance the construction of the planned school. 

Juma allegedly posed as a facilitator and consultant for the illusory bank loans, while Abbas played the role of “Malik,” a Wells Fargo banker in New York, according to court documents. Vincent, in turn, allegedly provided support for the false narratives fed to the victim by, among other things, creating bogus documents and arranging for the creation of a fake bank website and phone banking line.

Yusuf Adekinka Anifowoshe, a.k.a. “AJ,” (26), of Brooklyn, New York, allegedly played a role in the fraud, assisting Abbas with a call to the victim posing as “Malik.” Special agents with the FBI arrested Anifowoshe in New York on July 22.

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The conspirators allegedly defrauded the Qatari businessman out of more than $1.1 million.

 The proceeds of the fraud allegedly were laundered in several ways. According to the indictment, Abbas was assisted in laundering the proceeds of the fraud by Rukayat Motunraya Fashola, a.k.a. “Morayo,” 28, of Valley Stream, New York, and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka, a.k.a. “Bolamide,” 34, of Linden, New Jersey. These two defendants also were arrested on July 22 by FBI agents.

Approximately $230,000 of the stolen funds allegedly were used to purchase a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which was hand-delivered to Abbas in Dubai and subsequently appeared in Hushpuppi’s social media posts. Other illicit proceeds from the scheme were allegedly converted into cashier’s checks, including $50,000 in checks that were used by Abbas and a co-conspirator to fraudulently acquire a St. Christopher and Nevis citizenship, as well as a passport for Abbas obtained by creating a false marriage certificate and then bribing a government official in St. Kitts.

Court documents outline a dispute among members of the conspiracy, which allegedly prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that “Hushpuppi” and Juma were engaged in fraud. After this contact, “Hushpuppi”  allegedly arranged to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria by Abba Alhaji Kyari, 46, of Nigeria. 

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According to the affidavit, Kyari is a highly decorated deputy commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who is alleged to have arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed at the behest of“Hushpuppi”, and then sent him photographs of Vincent after his arrest. Kyari also allegedly sent “Hushpuppi” bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment. Kyari has been suspended by the Nigerian Police Commission and has protested his innocence.

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“Hushpuppi” and members of his syndicate were arrested as part of a special FBI investigation dubbed “Operation Top Dog”. The FBI worked with the government of the United Arab Emirates and the Dubai Police Department.

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By The African Mirror

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