Embattled Nigerian internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, 39, will be sentenced on Wednesday, September 21, the United States Attorney’s office for Central District of California, Los Angeles has said.
This was disclosed by the court’s Director of Media Relations, Thom Mrozek, on Friday, August 26, in response to an email inquiry by Channels Television, a local media organisation in Nigeria.
Hushpuppi, 39, was initially scheduled for sentencing on February 14, 2022, after his conviction in 2021. But the date was moved to July 11 before it was again postponed to September 21 this year.
Mrozek disclosed that the suspect had long pleaded guilty to the charges of fraud last year and would be sentenced later this year.
“Mr. Abbas is currently scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge in Los Angeles on September 21,” he said.
Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020 alongside 12 others and extradited to the US for prosecution. He was charged with allegations of hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud, and identity theft.
He pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2021 and was remanded into custody pending sentencing.
According to court documents, he risks “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 offence”.
