Hushpuppi also commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). and the U.S. justice system for “upholding the law against criminals like myself.”
By Kehinde Okeowo
Nigeria’s notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, has apologised to his victims and their families ahead of his sentencing.
He also commended the American judicial system for arresting him and bringing him to justice for his crimes in a letter written to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Hushpuppi, who will soon know his fate in a US court presided over by Judge Otis D. Wright went on to appreciate the judge and the U.S. justice system for “upholding the law against criminals like myself.
According to Peoples Gazette, Abbas in the handwritten letter further recounted his criminal adventures and begged for forgiveness over the pains his lifestyle had caused people, while also pleading for leniency from the judge.
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In his final appeal to Justice Wright on Friday ahead of his sentencing on Monday, Abbas who took full responsibility for his crimes said:
“I would like to specially apologize to the victims in the cases I’m involved with from count one to five…,
“I apologise to the law enforcement agents who have worked tirelessly to make the world a safer place and to the U.S. Attorney’s entire office for the great work of upholding the law against criminals like myself,”
In the letter, Abbas also recalled how he joined Instagram in 2012 to share his style online and noted the expansion of his business into “luxury fashion, real estate, automobile sales and entertainment deals.
In July 2021, Hushpuppi entered a plea bargain with the U.S. authorities and admitted to multimillion-dollar fraud charges.
Intelligence agencies also recorded multiple crimes, including money laundering, cyber fraud, hacking, criminal impersonation, scamming individuals, banking fraud and identity theft committed outside the United Arab Emirates
Abbas, who has been in custody in the US since his arrest in Dubai in June 2020, went on to claim he made only $300,000 from the proceeds of his crime.
However, the fraudster, while apologising for his misdeeds, promised he would use his personal funds to repay the victims of his crimes.
“Your Honour, I totally recognise the seriousness of my offence, and no amount of sorry can write my wrong in the hearts of the victims, and this is why I have decided to use my personal money to offset all of the entire $1,700,000 restitution even though I only benefited a fraction of $300,000,” he wrote
Meanwhile, Justice Wright on Friday reversed an earlier decision and denied Abbas’ requests to view case files of the Juma case, where disgraced Nigerian Deputy Police Commissioner, Abba Kyari was also indicted as an accomplice.
The judge also denied the request to reschedule the sentencing date from September 19 to November 3
