Instagram Deactivates Hushpuppi’s Verified Account, 2 Years After His Arrest For Fraud

Instagram has finally deactivated the verified account of the suspected Nigerian internet fraudster, Abbas Ramoni, popularly known as Hushpuppi, who is currently been tried in the United States for fraud-related activities.

KanyiDaily had reported how Hushpuppi was arrested in the United Arab Emirate, Dubai on June 10, 2020, alongside 11 of his associates over allegations bordering on hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud, and identity theft.

The fraudster was subsequently extradited to the US after the UAE police detailed his arrest in a special operation dubbed ‘Fox Hunt 2’ where he was accused of defrauding over 1.9 million victims to the tune of $435.6 million (N168 billion).

Amongst other charges, Hushpuppi and his accomplices were also accused of conspiring to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club.

On July 4, 2020, Hushpuppi was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering before a US court, an offense that attracts a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment if convicted.

In a court document obtained on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Hushpuppi pleaded guilty to various offenses bordering on internet scam and money laundering, among others.

Hushpuppi Loses His Verified Instagram Account

Despite his arrest and guilty plea, Instagram permitted Hushpuppi to share videos and photos on the platform once he does not represent dangerous organizations or individual

The suspected internet fraudster’s account with @hushpuppi as his username has about 2.8 million followers, 827 following and 540 posts showcasing his extravagant lifestyle.

However, the social media platform seems to have reviewed the decision to allow Hushpuppi’s account to remain active after two years.

A recent check to confirm Hushpuppi’s account activeness on Sunday, October 30, 2022, the search results reveal that his account has been deactivated.

This comes one month after Hushpuppi apologized to his victims ahead of his sentencing by the United States Attorney’s Office for Central District of California, Los Angeles.