U.S Government Reduce Hushpuppi’s Sentence to 11 years
The US government has reduced the jail term of Nigerian internet fraudster facing trial in the United States of America, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 for driving multiple schemes that targeted victims in Europe and the United States. He pleaded guilty in April 2021 after prosecutors discovered his involvement in a separate conspiracy to defraud a Qatari businessperson, who lost $810,000 in the process of trying to obtain an elusive loan to set up an international school.
Hushpuppi’s record which was revealed as part of his memorandum countering sentencing recommendations of prosecutors showed he cleaned well and related well with other inmates.
It was learnt that his report card for Central Valley workshop for prisoners showed between July 2021 when he enrolled and November 2021 when he completed work that Hushpuppi put up “very good” in attitude, quality of work, dependability and productivity.
The internet fraudster has therefore appealed to US Judge Otis Wright to temper justice with mercy and hand him a lighter jail term after scoring high in the cleaning activities.
Prosecutors in the United States have asked a federal judge to sentence Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas to 11 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in a multinational conspiracy that earned him millions of dollars between 2019 and 2020.
American attorneys led by Khaldoun Shobaki in the U.S. Central District of (Los Angeles) argued that Hushpuppi should also be asked to pay $1.7 million in restitution; $500,000 in fines and $100 in administrative fees, per recommendations submitted ahead of his sentencing on September 21.
“The government recommends that defendant be sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, and that defendant be ordered to pay restitution of $1,732,841.34, a fine of $500,0000, and a mandatory special assessment of $100,” the September 7 filing seen by Peoples Gazette said.
Mr Abbas’ sentencing, the government argued, was reduced because he cooperated with detectives on our criminal cases under investigation and prosecution in American courts.
Hushpuppi’s lawyer, Louis Shapiro wrote in the memorandum submitted on the 5th of this month that “He is currently working within his prison cleaning windows and showers—for which he has received great personal evaluations.”
Shapiro said his client had become a changed person in prison and should be handed a lighter sentence of about two years in prison. Shapiro further noted Hushpuppi has three minor children in London, U.S. and Dubai to care for, as well as his ailing parents in Nigeria.
The presiding Judge, Wright would convene sentencing hearing in the matter on September 21 at 1:30 p.m., court filing said.
