Nigeria’s Super Cop, Abba Kyari, Indicted in Hushpuppi’s $1m Fraud Case

DCP Abba. Kyari

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has been indicted in a one million dollars scam involving the internationally acclaimed fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, also known as Ray Hushpuppi, who is presently facing trial for fraud in a United States court.

Hushpuppi, in an indictment revealed by the US Justice Department, was alleged to have bribed Abba Kyari to get one of his associates arrested and jailed in Nigeria.

In a release  by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California said: “Court documents outline a dispute among members of the conspiracy, which allegedly prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that Abbas (Hushpuppi) and Juma were engaged in fraud.

“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.”

According to the release , Hushpuppi has pleaded guilty in the Money Laundering in School Financing Scam and Additional Cyber and Business Email Compromise Schemes.

The criminal complaint that initiated the prosecution in February was also unsealed on Monday, revealing Hushpuppi was initially charged in this case.

According to the indictment, Abbas allegedly conspired with Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul,” 28, of Kenya, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, 40, of Nigeria, to defraud the Qatari businessperson by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance construction of the planned school.

READ ALSO: $1m fraud: My hands are clean, those celebrating my indictment’ll be disappointed –Abba Kyari

“The defendants allegedly faked the financing of a Qatari school by playing the roles of bank officials and creating a bogus website in a scheme that also bribed a foreign official to keep the elaborate pretense going after the victim was tipped off.

“Mr. Abbas, who played a significant role in the scheme, funded his luxurious lifestyle by laundering illicit proceeds generated by con artists who use increasingly sophisticated means. In conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we will identify and prosecute perpetrators of business email compromise scams, which is a massive and growing international crime problem,” according to Wilkison.

“Mr. Abbas, among the most high-profile money launderers in the world, has admitted to his significant role in perpetrating global BEC fraud, a scheme currently plaguing Americans,” said Kristi K. Johnson, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

“His celebrity status and ability to make connections seeped into legitimate organizations and led to several spin-off schemes in the U.S. and abroad. Today’s announcement deals a crucial blow to this international network and hopefully serves as a warning to potential victims targeted with this type of theft,” Johnson added.