Instagram has revealed why it deactivated the verified account of the suspected Nigerian internet fraudster, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, who is currently being tried in the United States for fraud-related activities.
KanyiDaily recalls that Instagram recently disabled the Hushpuppi’s account, two years after he was arrested for fraudulent activities and money laundering in Dubai, where he lived, in June 2020.
In an interview with BBC on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, Instagram said that Hushpuppi’s account was removed because he violated their fraud policies.
The company said it strongly condemns the use of its platform to “defraud or exploit people”.
“We don’t want anyone to use our apps to defraud or exploit people, and have clear rules against fraudulent activity – including money laundering.
“We disabled @hushpuppi’s account for breaking these rules,” a spokesperson of the company said.
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 July 28, 2021, Hushpuppi pleaded guilty to various offenses bordering on internet scam and money laundering, among others.
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.
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