Popular Instagram sensation, Ramon Abass Olorunwa, popularly known as Hushpuppi, has been sentenced to 11 years and three months imprisonment by the United States District Court sitting Central District of California for money laundering.
Okay.ng understands that the judgment was delivered by Justice Otis Wright II, on Monday, and it found Hushpuppi guilty of the allegations including laundering proceeds of a school financing scam, business email compromise and other fraudulent cyber schemes levied against him.
The 44-year-old was also asked to pay the sum of $1,732,841 in restitution to two fraud victims.
It can be recalled that Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in June 2020 and has remained in federal custody since his extradition from the UAE.
A statement released by the US court on the aforementioned case read, “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,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada.
“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.”
“Ramon Abbas, a.k.a. ‘Hushpuppi,’ targeted both American and international victims, becoming one of the most prolific money launderers in the world,” said Don Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.
“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.
“This significant sentence is the result of years’ worth of collaboration among law enforcement in multiple countries and should send a clear warning to international fraudsters that the FBI will seek justice for victims, regardless of whether criminals operate within or outside United States borders.”
