Nigerian fraudster Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi will on Monday, November 7 be sentenced, according to the US Attorney’s Office for Central District of California, Los Angeles.
This is contrary to reports on Friday that he had been sentenced to 11 years in prison and would only spend nine years incarcerated after being in custody since his arrest in 2020.
Confirming the date for the sentencing, the court’s director of media relations Thom Mrozek told Channels TV in a response to an email inquiry that the sentencing is scheduled for Monday.
“The sentencing is now scheduled for Monday, November 7,” Mr Mrozek said.
Court documents obtained by Premium Times in October also showed the trial judge, Otis Wright, fixed November 7 as the date to sentence Hushpuppi.
“COUNSELS ARE NOTIFIED, the Sentencing is CONTINUED to November 7, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. as to Defendant Ramon Olorunwa Abbas,” the document read.
Hushpuppi’s sentencing has been rescheduled three times since his conviction last year. He was first scheduled for sentencing on February 14 then it was moved to July 11. Later, the court fixed September 21 and now November 7.
In September, Hushpuppi wrote a handwritten letter to Judge Otis Wright, begging the judge for mercy.
He apologised to his family members for bringing them shame while commending the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for doing a thorough job in bringing him to justice.
Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020 over an extensive fraudulent scheme that has robbed victims of their money in the US, Qatar, the United Kingdom, and other places.
He was taken to the US where he was charged with fraud and money laundering.
In July 2021, Hushpuppi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in money laundering.
He admitted to conspiring with multiple persons within and outside the US to launder the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme perpetrated against persons and businesses in different countries.
