Suspected cyber-fraudster, Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, has narrated how he allegedly bribed Nigerian ”Super Cop” Abba Kyari.
Peoples Gazette reports that U.S. Justice Department said court documents quoted Abbas as having disclosed during interrogation that he paid bribes to Kyari, a deputy police commissioner, to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1 million scam of a Qatari businessperson.
Federal authorities in the U.S. have been also investigating Mr Abbas and his co-conspirators after their syndicate was busted in Dubai last June.
Kyari did not immediately return calls and messages seeking his response to Mr Abbas’ claims when reached by The Gazette on Thursday morning.
Abbas (Hushpuppi), according to the documents asked DSP Kyari to arrest and jail a fellow fraudster Kelly Chibuzor Vincent after both were locked in a dispute presumably over how to share the $1.1 million loot received from the Qatari businessperson. Mr Vincent subsequently contacted the victim and informed him that he was being scammed by a syndicate involving him and Abbas.
This elicited anger from Abbas, who contacted Mr Kyari to arrest and jail his rival over the dispute. Hushpuppi said Kyari sent pictures of Vincent in jail and subsequently sent his bank account number to him to which a wire transfer should be made having done a good job.
“Court documents outline a dispute among members of the conspiracy, which allegedly prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that Abbas and Juma were engaged in fraud. After this contact, Abbas allegedly arranged to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria by Abba Alhaji Kyari, 46, of Nigeria.
“According to the affidavit, Kyari is a highly decorated deputy commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who is alleged to have arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed at Abbas’ behest, and then sent Abbas photographs of Vincent after his arrest. Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment,” U.S. Justice department said in a statement.
“Approximately $230,000 of the stolen funds allegedly were used to purchase a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which was hand delivered to Abbas in Dubai and subsequently appeared in Hushpuppi’s social media posts.
“Other illicit proceeds from the scheme were allegedly converted into cashier’s checks, including $50,000 in checks that were used by Abbas and a co-conspirator to fraudulently acquire a St. Christopher and Nevis citizenship, as well as a passport for Abbas obtained by creating a false marriage certificate and then bribing a government official in St. Kitts,” officials said.
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