Ramon Abbas a.k.a. Hushpuppi landed in prison for laundering tens of millions through online scams.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II sentenced Hushpuppi to 135 months behind bars. The 40-year-old scammer was also ordered to pay $1,732,841 in restitution to two victims of fraud.
“Abbas bragged on social media about his lavish lifestyle – a lifestyle funded by his involvement in transnational fraud and money laundering conspiracies targeting victims around the world,” United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press release. “Money laundering and business email compromise scams are a massive international crime problem, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement and international partners to identify and prosecute those involved, wherever they may be.”
Hushpuppi has been in federal custody since he was arrested in Dubai in 2020. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering in 2021.
“Ramon Abbas, a.k.a. ‘Hushpuppi,’ targeted both American and international victims, becoming one of the most prolific money launderers in the world,” the FBI’s Don Alway said. “Abbas leveraged his social media platforms – where he amassed a considerable following – to gain notoriety and to brag about the immense wealth he acquired by conducting business email compromise scams, online bank heists and other cyber-enabled fraud that financially ruined scores of victims and provided assistance to the North Korean regime.”
According to prosecutors, Hushpuppi admitted to conspiring to launder over $300 million during an 18-month period. He will be deported to Nigeria after serving his prison sentence.