After months of claiming innocence and insisting he runs a legitimate business, a notorious Nigerian fraudster named Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, popularly known as Ray Hushpuppi, has finally pled guilty to a 3-count fraud charge that cumulatively caused over 24 million dollars loss to his victims. According to the statement released by the US Department of Justice, the Nigerian big boy and Instagram influencer who was exposed as a scam lord face up to 20 years imprisonment in U.S jail.
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You would recall that before his arrest last year, the Gucci master was busy entertaining his over 2 million followers with an extravagant lifestyle even legit hustlers would not let the world see. In June of 2020, he was busted in his 60 Million Naira a year Palazzo Versace apartment in Dubai. Alongside 9 others, including his close friends Mr Woodberry and Pac, he was arrested by the Dubai police in a joint operation with Interpol, and FBI tagged Fox Hunt 2. He was later extradited to the US, where most of his victims resided and were charged to court immediately. Hushpuppi, however, refused to implicate his partners in crime, all the while claiming he makes his money from a real estate business and Instagram influencer. The US Justice Department is hell-bent on nailing him, again. In February of 2021 released fresh evidence that he worked with North Korean hackers to launder 14.7 million dollars stolen from a Maltese bank in 2019.
Hushpuppi, however, refused to go down alone. He accepted a plea deal and has currently implicated five other people who worked with him and benefitted from his largesse. This includes one of his baby mamas and Nigerian Super-cop, Abba Kyari, the deputy commissioner of police who has immediately been declared wanted by the U.S. As the news made headlines, Nigerian are having a field day as he became the laughing stock on the street of social media as many screams the super cop hunter has become the hunted!
It’s no longer news that 37-year-old Nigerian-born fraudster, Hushpuppi, awaiting trial in the US since 2020, finally plead guilty to a 3-count charge against him. In the plea deal he negotiated with prosecutors in California, US, he admitted to coordinating several school-finance money laundering scams, additional cyber and business email compromise schemes that resulted in a cumulative loss of 24 million dollars to his victims. As part of his plea deal, Hushpuppi is mandated to forfeit some of his online fraud loot, pay restitution to some of his victims, and forfeit his right to appeal. Ahead of his next appearance in court, the US Department of Justice equally disclosed in a statement that he faces up to 20 years in jail.
Hushpuppi Implicate Kyari and Others
With jail being a very lonely place with no Gucci clothes to adorn and dollars to spend like papers on a daily, Hushpuppi had a rethink and has begun exposing people who collaborated with him on his scams. He revealed during interrogation that his celebrity status and ability to make connections linked him with several fraud syndicates who helped to make his cybercrime ventures successful. So far, he has mentioned six names, including his baby mamas who helped him launder money and Abba Kyari, Nigeria’s Deputy Commissioner of Police. Interestingly, Kyari’s involvement with the well known Yahoo boy shocked Nigerians the most.
According to Hushpuppi, during interrogation, he paid bribes to Kyari to have one of his fraud rivals by the name, Kelly Chibuzor Vincent arrested and jailed in Nigeria after he tried to ruin the 1.1 million dollars dupe of a Qatari businessman. Vincent had contacted the victim that was being scammed. Angered by this, Hushpuppi sent a picture of Vincent to Kyari to jail him. After he successfully scammed the Qatari businessman of 1.1 million dollars, Hushpuppi sent an undisclosed amount to Kyari bank account for a job well done. He also spent 230 thousand dollars on a Richard Mille RM11–03 watch which was hand-delivered to him in Dubai. He again spent an undisclosed sum to bribe officials for a St.Kitts and Nevis citizenship after obtaining a passport by creating a false marriage certificate.
Following months of investigations, the FBI has finally released evidence that Abba Kyari indeed worked with Hushpuppi. The investigation organization disclosed that in September of 2018, Abba Kyari abandoned his official duties in Nigeria to have a taste of Hushpuppi’s lavish lifestyle in Dubai. On arrival at the airport, Hushpuppi sent a car and driver to drive him around and funded his entire stay in Dubai. After returning to Nigeria, Kyari sent the fraudster a series of messages where he bragged about taking down criminals who do not make friends with him. In response, Hushpuppi pledged allegiance to him, saying, “Am really happy to be your boy. I promise to be a good boy always.”
Who Is Abba Kyari?
In brief, 46-year-old Abba Kyari, who hails from Borno State, is a highly decorated policeman in Nigeria. He long gained media attention for being a no-nonsense and incorruptible law enforcement officer. In the 2 decades of his service, he has been lauded for bringing sanity to the country and received several awards. Over the years, he got accelerated promotions for his exploits, especially for the pivotal role he played in the arrest of notorious kidnapper Evans in 2018. He was praised by many and even honoured at the National House of Representatives, Abuja. Kyari previously served as the officer-in-charge of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) under the Lagos State Police Command. But currently, he serves as the Deputy Commissioner of Police and Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team.
However, in the wake of the 2018 EndSARS protest, Kyari was accused of orchestrating various extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests, and incarceration of young people on trumped-up charges. But the accusations soon died down like smoke with fire. Again Amnesty International published reports that he killed a suspected criminal and claimed his assets running into millions illegally. Still, the case never saw the light of the day as there was no concrete evidence to nail him.
But with the new evidence from the FBI released by the US Department of Justice, it looks like Kyari’s reign as a super-cop has come to an end.
Kyari’s Response to Allegations
Interestingly, the renowned cop has refused to go down without a fight. Just hours after news broke about his involvement with Gucci man Hushpuppi, he immediately published a statement on his Facebook page denying allegations of conspiracy. He said he only met Hushpuppi 2 years ago after he called that someone seriously threatened his family’s life. He and other members of his squad would later trace and arrest the suspect, but following investigations, he found out that they are friends who had money issues between them. So, he released the suspect on bail.
Wait, wait, wait! The suspect wasn’t guilty, so why was he released on bail?
Anyways! Kyari went on and said months later, he shared photos of himself online, and Hushpuppi said he liked the native clothes he was rocking and sent 300 thousand Naira to help procure similar wears for him. Kyari claimed that this was where their relationship ended, and he never collected a kobo from Hushpuppi. Meanwhile, Nigerians who know that Hushpuppi would never wear anything, not from a designer clothing brand like Gucci, have begun to call Kyari the newest Lai Mohammed.
Also addressing those celebrating his indictment and mentioning fictitious big money, Kyari promised that they all would be disappointed as his hands are not only clean but also his 2 decades record of service. Sadly, it looks like the US government did not wait to hear Kyari’s side of the story as they have since ordered the FBI to track him down and arrest him. According to reports, he faces up to 20 years in prison if extradited to the US and found guilty.
Nigerians Reaction
As expected, Nigerians have begun reacting to news of Kyari bringing disgrace to Nigeria while calling for his sack or immediate resignation.
Prominent human rights activist Tweeted, “Sack Abba Kyari now! The Interpol should arrest Abba Kyari if he ever goes to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Europe, etc. and hand him over to the FBI.” The question remains, will Abba Kyari leave the country now that his freedom is at stake? If he doesn’t, is the Nigerian government ready to bell the cat?
A Twitter user wrote, “So Hushpuppi can be sending a whole DCP around to buy caps for him?”
Our Favorite Online Doctor Tweeted: “In a serious country, Kyari will have no job to resume to this morning, and he will be investigated. But in Buhari’s Nigeria, thieves and terrorists are special members of society.”
Sharing a Snippet of FBI reports with Kyari’s phone number, a Twitter user wrote, “These are his numbers. Call him now to congratulate him in advance.”
Another user wrote, “If you think Hushpuppi is done talking, you’re lying to yourself. He was just the face of the pyramid. Mentioning Abba Kyari is the tip of the iceberg. O ma shi ka boro boro. You never see anything.”
Incorporating a bit of sarcasm, Wale Adetona Tweeted, “Just In: The Federal government of Nigeria has banned the FBI. They asked that they need to come and register in Nigeria first.”
IPOB supporter Simon Ekpa seized the opportunity to caution his fellow Igbo brother, Obi Cubana, from hanging out with Kyari. He wrote, “Obi Cubana, my brother, you may reconsider retracting your step and watch the people you keep as friends. Abba Kyari was seen in your mother’s burial. This development will definitely send a wrong signal about you and this criminal conspirator.” Sadly, people who believe Obi Cubana’s wealth is not purely legitimate following the lavish show of wealth during his mother’s burial in Oba, Anambra State, have begun calling him a fraudster who may also have ties with Hushpuppi.
Trust Reno Omokiri to air his opinion. He posted this funny photo on his Instagram page with the caption; For our native wear and other fashion, super cop Abba Kyari, your man! Kyari is a tailor that caters to the high and mighty in the world of crime. Do you know a fraudster or a notorious yahoo boy? What are you waiting for? Give him Kyari’s number without further ado!
#TableShaker
Interestingly, Femi Fanni Kayode is on Abba Kyari’s side, reacting to the news via his Instagram page, FFK said he doesn’t believe the story and called it crazy allegations without evidence. Swears Kyari is indeed a super cop and one of the bravest, brightest and best in Nigeria. He added that there are many crooked bent and killer cops all over the world as there are good ones and America has its fair share of both. “Allegations are a dime a dozen and an indictment does not amount to a conviction: Show me the evidence or keep your mouth shut forever. I urge Abba to continue the good work he has been doing and not allow himself to be distracted by hs numeriou deteractors. This is a deep conspiracy to destroy his career and it will not work” He said concluding his point.
What do you think about Hushpuppi’s decision to take a plea deal and implicate other members of his syndicate?
Do you think The Nigerian government will sack abba Kyari or everything will be swept under the rug?
Now that the super cop has been smoked out, do you think more of his dirty and corrupt deals will be exposed?
And lastly, do you see him ending up in Jail?
