Nigerian fraudster Hushpuppi worked with a Kenyan to defraud investor Ksh.100 million

Disgraced Nigerian Instagram star Hushpuppi, conspired with a 28-year-old Kenyan – Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul,” and a Nigerian Kelly Chibuzo Vincent to defraud a Qatari businessperson by posing as consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance a planned school’s construction in Qatar. 

According to court documents that read like a script from an episode of Narcos, Juma allegedly posed as a facilitator and consultant for the illusory bank loans, while Hushpuppi played the role of “Malik,” a Wells Fargo banker in New York.

Vincent, in turn, is accused of providing support for the victim’s false narratives by among other things, creating bogus documents and arranging for the creation of a bogus bank website and phone banking line.

In the latest development, Hushpuppi admitted to participating in  the scheme to steal more than Ksh. 1.1 billion from a businessperson attempting to fund the construction of a school in Qatar.

According to the indictment, Abbas allegedly conspired with Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul,” 28, of Kenya, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, 40, of Nigeria, to defraud the Qatari businessperson by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance construction of the planned school.

Juma allegedly posed as a facilitator and consultant for the illusory bank loans, while Abbas played the role of “Malik,” a Wells Fargo banker in New York, according to court documents. Vincent, in turn, allegedly provided support for the false narratives fed to the victim by, among other things, creating bogus documents and arranging for the creation of a fake bank website and phone banking line.

According to documents released on Wednesday, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, 37, “Hushpuppi”  pled guilty on April 20.

Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in a statement that Abbas and his co-conspirators falsified school finance by impersonating bank officials, creating a fraudulent website, and bribing a foreign official to keep the ruse continuing after the victim was tipped off.

According to Kristi K. Johnson, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, Abbas’ “celebrity status and ability to create contacts seeped into legitimate groups and led to multiple spin-off schemes in the United States and abroad.”

“Today’s news strikes at the heart of this global network, and hopefully serves as a warning to potential victims of this type of theft.”

According to the US, Abbas was involved in frauds that cost victims a total of Ksh.2.6 billion.

The stolen monies from the school scheme were used to purchase a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which was physically delivered to Abbas in Dubai and later appeared in Hushpuppi’s social media posts, according to the US.