Hushpuppi: US Court Fixes Sept 21 For Judgement

Nigeria’s Ramon Abass also known as Hushpuppi facing trial in the United States (US) for various fraud cases will know his fate on September 21, 2022.

The United States Central District Court in California yesterday fixed the date for his sentencing.

Before the new date, Judge Otis Wright had postponed Hushpuppi’s sentencing for the second time.

“At the request of counsel, the sentencing is continued to 9/21/2022 at 1:30 pm before Judge Otis D. Wright II, as to defendant Ramon Olorunwa Abbas,” Premium Times said the court’s announcement made June 24 read.

Hushpuppi had pleaded guilty in April 2021.

This was according to court documents by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) to the multi-million-dollar fraud charges filed against him by the United States government.

A version of Hushpuppi’s plea agreement filed in June revealed his part in a school finance scheme, as well as several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that aggregately caused more than $24 million in losses.

He pleaded guilty to count two which is “conspiracy to engage in money Laundering.”

With such an offence, Hushpuppi risks a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment among other punishments including full restitution, his plea agreement with the U.S. government states in part.

Acting United States attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said Hushpuppi allegedly falsified the financing of a Qatari school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a fake website in a scheme that also bribed a foreign official to keep the elaborate pretense going after the victim was tipped off.

Wilkison stated that Hushpuppi played “a significant role in the scheme, funded his luxurious lifestyle by laundering illicit proceeds generated by con artists who use increasingly sophisticated means.”

Hushpuppi was apprehended in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020, and subsequently flown to the US for trial

He pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2021 and was ordered to remain in custody pending sentencing.

The sentence hearing was initially moved by Judge Wright from February 14 to July 11 and has now been moved to September 21 at the counsel’s request.

He has been in custody since his arrest in Dubai and rendition to the US in June 2020.

Hushpuppi thereafter entered into a plea bargain agreement with the US government in July 2021, in the hope of getting a lighter punishment.

Despite pleading guilty, Hushpuppi will not be exempted from paying restitution.