By Deborah Hassan
365Daily– Embattled social media celebrity Hushpuppi, has narrated how he allegedly bribed a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari, a to arrest a co-fraudster.
Kyari is the head of the Inspector-General of Police’ Intelligence Response Team.
The United States District Court for the Central District of California said the luxury Instagram personality alleged that he paid Kyari to arrest and jail one of his rivals in Nigeria after a $1.1 million scam on Qatari businesspeople went awry.
A statement by the US department of justice on Wednesday titled, ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds, stated that Hushpuppi had asked Kyari to jail Chibuzor Vincent after he reached out to their scam victim and about the fraud by Hushpuppi’s syndicate.
According to the indictment, Hushpuppi allegedly conspired with five others to defraud a businessperson by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance the construction of a school in Qatar.
He was accused with 28-year-old Abdulrahman Juma from Kenya; 40-year-old Chibuzo Vincent from Nigeris; Yusuf Anifowoshe, 26; Rukayat Fashola, 28; and Bolatito Agbabiaka, 34.
According to the document, Juma posed as a facilitator and consultant for the non-existent bank loans, while Hushpuppi acted as ‘Malik’, a Wells Fargo banker in New York.
It stated: “Vincent, in turn, allegedly provided support for the false narratives fed to the victim by, among other things, creating bogus documents and arranging for the creation of a fake bank website and phone banking line.”
The victims allegedly parted with about $1.1 million which Hushpuppi and his co-conspirators spent by blowing approximately $230,000 on the purchase a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, “which was hand delivered to Abbas in Dubai and subsequently appeared in Hushpuppi’s social media posts.”
It continued: “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.”
According to Kristi K. Johnson, an Assistant Director of the FBI’s LA field office, Hushpuppi as among “the high-profile money launderers in the world,” adding that he had admitted to his significant role in global BEC fraud, a scheme plaguing Americans.
She added: “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.”
DCP Kyari has not reacted to Hushpuppi’s allegations against him.
Having pleaded guilty to the money laundering charges against him, Abbas risks 20 years imprisonment, according to US laws.