The sentence of Nigerian fraudster Ramon Abass, also known as Hushpuppi, has been postponed until September 21 by Judge Otis Wright of a United States Central District Court in California.
“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,” the court said
According to court records provided by the US Department of Justice (DoJ), Hushpuppi entered a plea of guilty to the multimillion-dollar fraud allegations that the US government had brought against him.
A version of Hushpuppi’s plea agreement filed in June outlined his role in a school finance scheme, as well as several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that cumulatively caused more than $24 million in losses. He pleaded guilty to Count Two which is “Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering,” an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment among other punishments including full restitution, his plea agreement with the U.S. government states in part.
In a scam that also involved bribing a foreign official to maintain the elaborate pretense after the victim was made aware of it, Hushpuppi is accused of pretending to be a bank official and fabricating a website in order to finance a school in Qatar.
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 arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020, and subsequently flown to the U.S.. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2021 and was ordered to remain in custody pending sentencing.
The prosecutor said the maximum penalty for the offence that Hushpuppi hopes will be reduced at his sentencing include “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 offense, whichever is greatest; and a mandatory special assessment of $100.”
