His nickname, "quiet papi," might sound innocent, but don't be fooled. Ray Hushpuppi wasn't just an Instagram blogger with a harmless persona — he was a scam artist who tricked celebrities. Meet Ramon Olorunwe Abbas, the man behind the facade, an Instagram blogger pretending to be a billionaire while making friends with numerous celebrities and footballers.
In this article, we will delve into the phenomenon of the blogger, discuss this fraudulent scheme, and try to understand how he managed to pull off his deception.
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What is Known About Hushpuppi
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding this individual. News agencies claim that his real name is Ray Abbas, born on June 14, 1988. However, Hushpuppi contradicted this by sharing a self-congratulatory post on Instagram on October 11.
One of the fan pages about Hushpuppi
Now the account is deleted, and only fan pages remain, but in 2019, Ray celebrated his birthday with these words:
Today, as I turn a year older and cross over 30, I want to congratulate all of you who have supported me for many years in any form, those of you I have mostly never met, never spoken to but have been a strong support system through any situation till this moment and still riding for me. I want you to know wherever you are that I celebrate and appreciate you today. Today is OUR DAY!
Hushpuppi loved showcasing brands and boasting about his car collections
If we assume that Hushpuppi was 31 at that time, he is now approximately 35 years old. Although sources differ in opinions. At some point, Hushpuppi just appeared — rich, presentable, smiling, and demonstratively happy, judging by photos on Instagram.
In this regard, Ramon Abbas is somewhat similar to Bitmama — a crypto scammer who also concealed her identity. The media knew almost nothing about her and got confused with the facts. However, unlike Bitmama, Abbas admitted his guilt instead of proclaiming innocence. Christie Johnson, the deputy director of the local FBI office in Los Angeles, spoke about Abbas's confession:
Mr. Abbas, one of the most famous money launderers in the world, has admitted to his significant role in perpetrating global BEC fraud, a scheme currently affecting Americans. His celebrity status and ability to make connections infiltrated legitimate organizations and led to several third-party money laundering schemes in the U.S. and abroad.
Hushpuppi loved showcasing brands and boasting about his car collections
To launder billions, Hushpuppi needed money, people, and connections. Where did it come from? Maybe Ray Hushpuppi was born rich?
Who Exactly is Ramon "Ray" Hushpuppi?
Surprisingly, Ramon is not a billionaire at all. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and spent his entire conscious life working in the second-hand industry. He lived in Malaysia. At some point, Ramon decided to create the appearance of wealth and try on the image of a wealthy guy. On Instagram, he posted photos of his fake rich life. To make it all work, Hushpuppi presumably ordered staged photos and videos for social networks through various agencies.
Presumably, a staged photoshoot of Hushpuppi featuring the display of a glamorous life
Ramon Abbas has attracted more than 2.5 million subscribers by pretending to live large. As his popularity grew, ambitions struck Hushpuppi. To turn the fantasy of a wealthy life into reality, the Nigerian once again lied.
This time, Hushpuppi claimed that he decided to engage in real estate. He portrayed himself as a developer — a specialist in choosing land for real estate and subsequent construction. But he never actually engaged in real estate.
Where Did Hushpuppi get the Money?
Rumors say that Abbas had influential friends and even lovers. Some say that Hushpuppi invested his money in a profitable business that still thrives. There's a version that Abbas simply begged for money at first. He was very charming. Backing up this idea is a particular detail: at some point on his Instagram account, Hushpuppi admitted that he was poor and a "professional beggar." Ray's father was a taxi driver, and his mother sold bread. His sister died of an illness because he and his family did not have enough money to pay her medical bills of ₦3500 — that's $2.47. It took a long time before Ray became successful.
Hushpuppi often promoted Gucci and Versace and never missed a chance to show off his cars
Considering these confessions and how Hushpuppi operated on social media, most agree that the "quiet puppy" massively deceived people on the internet. Such scammers, like Ray, are colloquially called Yahoo boys — people who mass-produce lovers and extract money from fans.
Hushpuppi's Activities Before the Real Estate Scheme
As Ray built his Instagram account, he followed only influential people, focusing on the wealthy and influential. For example, among his followers was the daughter of Nigerian oil magnate Femi Otedola, known as Cuppymusic, and Peter and Paul Okoye.
Hushpuppi always avoided answering questions about how he earned a living. In one of the clips circulating on the internet, filmed by Ray's friends, Hushpuppi was asked, "What do you do for a living?" His response was, "I make a living." This once again indicates the potential engagement in fraudulent activities typical of Yahoo boys.
However, there are different versions — again rumors. Some said that Ray was involved in casino gambling, while others attributed bitcoin and currency trading to him. Ray himself did not deny any of these assumptions but continued to mention on Instagram that he was a developer.
When the Law Noticed Ray
Authorities first became interested in Ray in 2018 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) inquired about his lavish lifestyle. Rumors were already circulating that Hushpuppi was a Yahoo boy, a simple fraudster and gigolo.
There are rumors that Hushpuppi often switched his admirers, and while there might be some truth to it, the blogger consistently kept such details concealed
Although the EFCC raid was based on intelligence, Hushpuppi emerged unscathed at that time. Abbas pretended to be innocent and managed to talk law enforcement representatives out of suspicions, mentioning that he had enemies eager for his arrest, not less than the arrest of his friend Ismail Mustapha, aka Mompha. But that time, Hushpuppi somehow indicated that he earned his money legitimately, or perhaps there was simply insufficient evidence.
This is approximately how they depict the arrest of Hushpuppi
Approximately in June 2020, Interpol arrested Hushpuppi in Dubai, accusing him of hacking and financial manipulations. This time, the blogger couldn't justify himself. Ray had a registered company with a capital of $40 million, attempting to illegally transfer $14.7 million from a government financial institution and trying to steal an additional $124 million from an English football club at the time of the accusations. During the arrest, 14 luxury cars worth $6.8 million were found and seized from the blogger, as reported by Times.
The evidence of the charges points to nearly two million potential victims.
How Hushpuppi Earned and Laundered Money
Regardless of what the blogger wrote on his social media, there was no mention of real estate in Hushpuppi's schemes. The FBI accidentally stumbled upon Abbas while investigating the North Gang case. Law enforcement representatives then discovered that Ramon, laundering dirty capital, had connections with bandits and hackers.
Abbas was accused of a criminal conspiracy to launder money stolen in a hacking attack on a foreign financial organization. The organization itself was not disclosed even during the trial, but it concerned those same $14.7 million.
Despite attempts to keep anonymity for the affected party, enthusiasts found that the date and amount in the accusation materials matched a hacking attack and theft from the Bank of Valletta in Malta in February 2019. The breach was so extensive that it crippled Malta's entire economy. To mitigate the consequences, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had to turn to parliament for assistance. Newspapers of that period reported in the “Time of Malta” that hackers managed to transfer €13 million abroad from Malta's budget to banks in four different countries.
The stolen funds were eventually traced and returned. No bank customer lost their money. Perhaps that's why the Bank of Valletta decided to remain anonymous, and representatives of the bank did not appear in court. The U.S. Department of Justice also did not mention the Bank of Valletta in its charges and did not delve into details when presenting the accusations.
This is how the news of Hushpuppi's arrest was presented in the Malaysian media
FBI agents also revealed how hackers, in conspiracy with Hushpuppi, gained access to the corporate email of a New York law firm. By stealing the database and hacking the system, the fraudsters used it to send fraudulent requests for unauthorized fund transfers. This allowed the criminals to steal an additional approximately $922,800. Ray Hushpuppi, along with two of his hacker accomplices, was charged with laundering $396,050 from this amount.
One of the most notorious scams by Hushpuppi was the case of deceiving an English football club. Leveraging friendship and trust, the Nigerian, under the pretext of charity, lured $124 million in May 2019. It is said that Abbas requested the money either for building a school in Nigeria or for setting up a shelter.
In any case, it was not determined which English Premier League club was involved — the U.S. Department of Justice refused to disclose information about this club. What's interesting is the audacity of Hushpuppi. The sum of $124 million exceeds the price for any football player that clubs in the league were ever willing to pay.
What Happened to Hushpuppi Next?
While still in Nigeria, Abbas gained a large number of fans and followers on social media. Thanks to posts about his luxurious lifestyle, he was discovered and extradited from Dubai to the United States, where the blogger faced charges of fraud and connections to the North Gang.
When the FBI arrested Ray, he was sent to trial in the United States
Since the FBI arrested Ray, he was held in custody in the United States, Los Angeles, until the prosecution announced that in April 2021, Hushpuppi pleaded guilty to all episodes of fraud related to the schemes. His schemes caused victims more than $24 million in damages.
Later, a judge in Los Angeles sentenced Abbas to one hundred thirty-five months in federal prison, which translates to over 11 years of imprisonment. The court also compelled the culprit to pay $1.7 million in compensation separately to two victims of major fraud episodes.
The total damage that Ray Hushpuppi Abbas inflicted on his victims and the economies of England, the United States, the UAE, and Malaysia is estimated at $430,000,000.
How Hushpuppi is Remembered
Here are some quotes from the FBI regarding Hushpuppi and the damage he caused:
Ramon Abbas... pursued both American and foreign victims, becoming one of the most prolific money launderers in the world. — Don Elway, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. Excerpt from an interview.
Abbas used his social media accounts... to become popular and gain people's trust. He boasted immense wealth earned through fraud. Abbas hijacked business correspondence, robbed online banks, actively engaged in various cyber frauds, victimizing dozens of people and supporting the North Gang with his crimes. — FBI representative.
Media, bloggers, and celebrities condemned Ray, and most of his victims never received compensation
This landmark verdict is the result of many years of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in different countries. It should serve as a clear warning to international fraudsters that the FBI will seek justice for victims, whether criminals operate within or outside the borders of the United States. — FBI representative.
The only one who spoke positively about Hushpuppi in the end was his driver, Seyi:
He [Hushpuppi] was generous. He bought beer for everyone around.
Conclusion
Hushpuppi is essentially a run-of-the-mill blogger who came out of nowhere. He's an ordinary guy with a fabricated life story and unrealistic aspirations. He kicked off his journey as a gigolo and a call boy, later delving into cyber fraud with the North Gang. The narrative of his escapades concluded with an 11-year stint in federal prison. This tale leads to a few disheartening takeaways.
Firstly, creating a fake identity and the appearance of a lavish life is effortless, and one doesn't necessarily need to be a genius for that. Even a taxi driver's son can easily pretend to be a billionaire if his salary is enough for a glamorous photoshoot.
Secondly, connections and the image of an influencer on the internet break down the wall of human mistrust. Just flaunting friendships with celebrities a couple of times can make people willing to give you money.
And finally, any deception will eventually be exposed, and a beautiful tale will come to an end. So, it's better not to live in illusions at all. For Hushpuppi, it didn't end well.
