Fraud case: Hushpuppi to be sentenced by US court on Monday

United States Attorney’s Office for Central District of California, Los Angeles, has stated alleged international internet fraudster Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi will be sentenced on Monday, November 7, 2022.

The court’s Director of Media Relations, Thom Mrozek stated this while responding to an inquiry by Channels Television that “the sentencing is now scheduled for Monday, November 7.”

This revelation is contrary to viral reports that Hushpuppi had been sentenced to 11 years in prison.

This new development means the US court has postponed Hushpuppi’s sentencing date for at least five times in 2022 alone. He was first convicted for alleged $1.1m Qatari fraud.

He was initially scheduled for sentencing on February 14 but it was moved to July 11 and to September 21. Hushpuppi’s sentencing was also postponed to November 3 and he’s now expected to be sentenced by the US court.

The 39-year-old entered a plea bargain, pleading guilty to charges including money laundering and wire fraud, amongst others. brought against him by the court.

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According to court documents, he now risks “20 years’ imprisonment; a 3-year period of supervised release; a fine of $500,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offence.”

Hushpuppi’s arrest

Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 alongside 12 others and extradited to the US, to be sentenced by the US court. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had indicted suspended Head of Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, DCP Abba Kyari, in the Hushpuppi case but Kyari had denied the fraud allegations.

Kyari was later arrested by the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in February for alleged drug-related offences. The NDLEA has since arraigned the suspended deputy police commissioner.

The suspended police chief and his co-defendants are hoping to get bail at the Federal High Court in Abuja.