The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California has said that Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, will be “sentenced” in October, 2021.
Thom Mrozek, the court’s Director of Media Relations, disclosed this in an emailed inquiry on Friday.
The court also confirmed that it ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to arrest Nigerian Police chief, Abba Kyari, who is being wanted for his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and others.
Mrozek stated:
A U.S. Magistrate Judge has issued arrest warrants for the defendants in the case, including Mr Kyari. This is standard operating procedure in nearly all of the criminal cases filed by this office.
Hushpuppi is currently scheduled to be sentenced in late October.
The court official, however, did not disclose whether Kyari must be in court with Hushpuppi by late October.
In a plea agreement document, Hushpuppi has since pleaded guilty to money laundering and internet fraud-related charges.
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The document was signed by Hushpuppi; his lawyer, Loius Shapiro; and Acting United States Attorney, Tracy Wilkison, among others.
Meanwhile, the Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocate (COA) has said that Kyari’s indictment is an embarrassment to Nigeria, the Muhammadu Buhari-led regime and the Nigeria Police Force.
The coalition, while claiming that Kyari is no longer fit to remain the head of the police unit, faulted the decision by the NPF to investigate him, as they called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in collaboration with the FBI as well as the Police Service Commission to take over the investigation.
COPA said this in a statement issued on Friday by its National Coordinator, Pelumi Olajengbesi, and titled, ‘The Indictment of DCP Abba Kyari by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation Over Allegations of Fraud and Abuse of Police Powers.’
The group said:
Therefore, that the continuous retention of Mr. Abba Kyari as the head of Inspector General of Police’ Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force is no longer tenable, pending the conclusion of an independent investigation into the extent of his guilt, complicity or the lack thereof in the damning revelations made against his person and office by self-confessed internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.