Experts don bin tell BBC Pidgin say if court find And then with that identity theft, they went into dating [scams]," explains Dr Adedeji Oyenuga, a cybercrime expert at Lagos State University. During di detention hearing, court for di Northern District of Illinois, USA rule say make di U.S. An existing account was found for this email address. 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. And now Mr Kyari too is wanted in the US on charges of fraud, money laundering and identity theft. His father was a taxi driver. Neither are named in the court documents. He also helped launder millions of pounds stolen from a British company and a professional soccer club in the United Kingdom, got a New York-based law firm to transfer nearly $923,000 to a criminal account and acknowledged in a plea agreement that he helped defraud someone in Qatar who sought a $15 million loan to build a school, federal prosecutors said. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. ", Seye says everyone knows Hushpuppi has committed a crime, but it is understandable: "No-one prays to be poor. WebThe Latest news in Nigeria and world news. 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. Stay informed. 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. "Yes, please," he replied, subdued. The United States Central District Court in California has sentenced Nigerian internet sensation, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi to 11 years in prison. TittlePress In today's society, that's a business," he said. But some believe the actual total could be much higher. The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital. 2023 BBC. 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. 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. [36], Therefore, the linguistic juxtapositions of "Hushpuppi" and "Mr. Ibrahim Magu" by Twitter users serve as exonerative social media devices more broadly and have real-life consequences. Click here to sign-in and subscribe via a link sent to your email. But the Premiership scam fell apart when the UK banks refused to pay into the Mexican account. He is a celebrity. "Their foreign suppliers did not receive the money We're talking about thousands of euros.". 2023 BBC. Yahoo Boys are romance scammers who took their name from the first free email available in Nigeria. [8] He also holds a passport from St Kitts and Nevis, which was fraudulently obtained through a sham marriage to a St. Kitts and Nevis citizen. We will not share your email address with any third parties. 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. Some of it was laundered via the purchase of a watch worth a staggering $230,000. 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"The scam was very sophisticated. 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. 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. In February 2019, he attempted to launder 13m euros (11m; $15m) stolen by a gang of North Korean hackers from the Maltese Bank of Valletta. "They keep finding out.". It was to receive 100m from a Premier League Football Club, and 200m from a UK firm. 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 By Helen Clifton & Princess Abumere. A spokesman for the US Department of Justice told the BBC that Hushpuppi was expelled from Dubai and was not extradited. He was sentenced to nearly 12 years in federal prison and was ordered to pay more than $30 million in restitution. "I really don't have any comment right now, I have to learn the facts about this case," he told the BBC. 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. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Na U.S. law firm, one foreign bank and one English Premier League club be im target. Notorious and disgraced Internet fraudster, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also known as Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to internet fraud. 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. 2023 BBC. According to the FBI, in 2020 BEC fraud resulted in losses of $1.8bn. Fashion; by newsdesk. "But they also have to cover their losses, so right now he doesn't know how he can get back to the UAE. It is the latest high-profile fraud case involving a Nigerian national in the United States but his lawyer says the US had no authority to transport him from Dubai. Copyright 1997 - 2023 NewsNow Publishing Limited. The bank did not respond to a request for comment. 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. He has spent his life in the UAE. 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. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas (born 11 October 1982), commonly known as Hushpuppi, Hush, or Ray Hushpuppi is a Nigerian former Instagram influencer and convicted felon. We contacted Instagram to ask why his account was still open. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Hushpuppi reported $400,000 fraud inside US prison no be true. [7] He claimed to be a real estate developer. Too bad they caught on, or it would have been a nice pay out.". He fears that he might get apprehended at immigration immediately.". The scams were to be carried out via Business Email Compromise (BEC). Abigail Mamo, chief executive of the Maltese chamber of small and medium enterprises, says the heist plunged the holiday island into "chaos". He used to buy beer for everyone around.". Terrifyingly simple, BEC works by intercepting payments via fake emails that appear to come from an address that is almost exactly the same as the supplier's. We contacted Instagram to ask why his In February 2019,he attempted to launder 13m euros (11m; $15m) stolen by a gang of North Korean hackers from the Maltese Bank of Valletta. Huspuppi go get court sentencing for dis charges on 11 July, 2022. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. They came up with the idea of stealing identities. "They keep finding out.". To see how, and to learn how to control cookies, 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. All rights reserved. [36] The study argues that this type of linguistic manipulation voiced as public opinion on Twitter denies the sufferings of victims of online fraud. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. He did not speak again. Marshals Service transport Hushpuppi to Los Angeles wia im trial go start. Is climate change killing Australian wine? He is accused of converting some of the proceeds into a Bitcoin digital wallet, effectively ensuring that they could not be traced. Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as "Mr Woodbery", flaunted his wealth, On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. The FBI says $1.7bn was lost by individuals and companies in business email compromise scams in 2019 alone. [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. Latest News . 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. Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. Only a single letter or number will be different. "They came up with the idea of stealing identities. [14] 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. Once a relationship is established via a false identity, romance scammers wheedle money from their online lovers. He refused to discuss how he was getting paid for legal fees or the source of Hushpuppi's money. 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. 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. His family are still in the UAE. [38][39] A short documentary about the life of Hushpuppi till his arrest has been released by both Bloomberg[40] and BBC Africa.[41]. cookies to improve your experience and customise advertising. [17], Upon his arrival in the United States on 3 July 2020, he was accused of conspiring to launder 'hundreds of millions of 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. Ghaleb Alaumary, 37, of Mississauga in Ontario, Canada, was charged separately. Once a relationship is established via a false identity, romance scammers wheedle money from their online lovers. The social media platform told the BBC that it had carried out an investigation into his account - but had decided not to close it. BEC fraud is a huge issue across the world. "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. One Million Dollars Per Constituency: Middle Belt Dev't Authority commissions three projects. 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. He did not answer how he ended up in US custody. He has previously denied having any criminal involvement with Abbas - and has not responded to the BBC's requests for comment. I've never heard of anything like that. Terrifyingly simple, BEC works by intercepting payments via fake emails that appear to come from an address that is almost exactly the same as the suppliers. Ramon Abbas - better known as Hushpuppi to his millions of followers - has pleaded guilty to money laundering in a US court.The Nigerian social media influencer was famous for his extravagant lifestyle, showing off his designer clothing, luxury holidays, and expensive cars to 2.5million Instagram followers and 1.3 million Snapchat subscribers.But unknown to his fans, his lifestyle was funded by cybercrime.Originally from humble beginnings in Lagos, the so-called 'billionaire Gucci master' living a life of luxury in Dubai is now facing a 20-year jail sentence in the USA - and the FBI have dubbed him one of the world's most high-profile money launderers.Reporter: Princess AbumereProducer: Helen CliftonFilmed and edited: Joshua AkinyemiAnimations: Mayowa AlabiSubscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribetoafrica\rWebsite: https://www.bbc.com/africa\rFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbcnewsafrica/\rTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/bbcafrica/\rInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbcafrica/ You can unsubscribe whenever you want. Shopping trolleys filled with goods were abandoned at checkouts as payment systems shut down. Once a relationship is established via a false identity, romance scammers wheedle money from their online lovers. 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. Fashion; by newsdesk. [31], In a final appeal to Judge Otis Wright ahead of his scheduled sentencing on 19 September 2022, Hushpuppi wrote a personal letter to the court narrating his source of wealth, criminal adventure and regrets. Court documents allege Abbas's crimes cost victims almost $24m in total. 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. "We don check wit di FBI agent wey supposedly author di document, and im confam say na fake.". US Department of Justice dismiss di report on Thursday wen dem react to di viral tori. "But if you look at the bank accounts that police have traced, they all belong to the records obtained by the police in their raids [on Hushpuppi's home in Dubai].". By clicking "OK" or continuing to use this site, you agree that we may collect and use your personal data and set Webfunny ways to say home run grassroots elite basketball Menu . Premium Times (November 2022). He was handed over to the agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who took him to the United States of America to face the consequences of his criminal activities. WebBreaking news headlines about Hushpuppi, linking to 1,000s of sources around the world, on NewsNow: the one-stop shop for breaking news. File on 4's Hush Money: The Rise and Fall of an International Fraudster is available on BBC Sounds. The song contained lyrics directed toward Abbas indirectly accusing him of being a swindler and lavishing his money on designer clothes instead of investing in profitable ventures and warning him that he would soon be caught by authorities. 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. The scams were to be carried out via Business Email Compromise (BEC). The rise and fall of Hushpuppi the social media influencer and global money-launderer. Too bad they caught on, or it would have been a nice pay out.. It did not name the institution by name but a bank in Malta reported losing the same sum to hackers that same month. 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. [19] The attack was of such seriousness in Malta that then Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was forced to address parliament. Webfunny ways to say home run grassroots elite basketball Menu . "The scam was very sophisticated. [34], Public opinion on social media offers opportunities to explore contestations between diverse viewpoints. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth cybercrime; he was a Yahoo, Seye says. 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. The Latest. "I want to spend money to send this boy to jail, let him go for a very long time.". He has previously denied having any criminal involvement with Abbas and has not responded to the BBCs requests for comment. 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. But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a "Yahoo", Seye says. WebThe big boy Hushpuppi was humbled when he was handcuffed just like a petty criminal, his designers and latest cars could do nothing. [33] On 8 November 2022, Hushpuppi was sentenced to over 11 years (135 months) in a federal prison. Despite him pleading guilty in April to money laundering, Hushpuppi's social media is still live and attracting followers. Hushpuppi latest news: US justice department dismiss Hushpuppi $400 fraud in prison tori 17 March 2022 Instagram/@hushpuppi Ramon Olorunwa Abbas aka Kemi Olunloyo set to release long list of actresses who slept Fraud:Woodberry, Hushpuppis Partner, to Forfeit $8m Choice Properties, Hushpuppis accomplice pleads guilty to internet fraud; agrees to pay $8m to victims, Hushpuppis Ally, Woodberry, Pleads Guilty To Internet Fraud, Forfeits $8m, Others, EXCLUSIVE: Woodberry, Hushpuppis ally, pleads guilty to fraud, Hushpuppis Close Ally Woodberry Pleads Guilty, Forfeits $8m, Luxury Dubai Assets, Hushpuppi's associate, Woodberry, pleads guilty, forfeits $8m, assets. 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. The 37-year-old began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. 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. 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. 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. He texted his contact Nigerian police officer Abba Kyari saying: I want him to go through serious beating of his life. For July 2020, di UAE later extradite Hushpuppi go Chicago for America under FBI special agents custody wia dem first carry am go court. It is alleged that Mr Kyari then falsely arrested and detained the middleman for a month in a squalid Nigerian cell. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? We don't have an account for this email address. [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. Heliyon, 8(11), e11142. But if you look at the bank accounts that police have traced, they all belong to the records obtained by the police in their raids [on Hushpuppis home in Dubai].. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Ramon Olorunwa Abbas - known to his 2.5 million Instagram followers as Ray Hushpuppi - and another cyber-heist suspect Olalekan Jacob Ponle (aka Mr Woodberry) were arrested in Dubai, where they lived, in June. Breaking news: an unexpected interview. 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. "If Dubai wanted to expel him, they should have expelled him back to Nigeria. According to the affidavit[24] other communications between Abbas and one of his co-conspirators indicated that the two had conspired to "launder tens, and at times hundreds, of millions of dollars that were proceeds of other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including a fraudulent scheme to steal 100 million ($124 million) from an English Premier League football club. Is climate change killing Australian wine? It stated that Hushpuppi 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. File on 4's Hush Money: The Rise and Fall of an International Fraudster is available on BBC Sounds. Read about our approach to external linking. They then appeared in a Chicago court on 3 July. Listen to the latest episodes of The Lazarus Heist on BBC Sounds. 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. "[12], Many news platforms have reported that Abbas was once a second-hand clothes seller in Lagos. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(8), 504-511. Advantageous comparison: using Twitter responses to understand similarities between cybercriminals (Yahoo Boys) and politicians (Yahoo men). Only a single letter or number will be different. Read about our approach to external linking. [20][21] According to the affidavit Abbas had provided a co-conspirator with two bank accounts in Europe anticipating the receipt of $5.6 million each of the fraudulently obtained funds. Di social media influencer don dey detention for almost two years now. The sentencing of confessed internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi has been shifted by the US Central District Court in California. His past says a lot about digital swagger and the kinds of stories that get told online. But soon, the cracks between the gang started to show. 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. 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.

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