United States Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Nigeria’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, over his relationship with internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas also known as Hushpuppi.
Hishpuppi on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the criminal charges levelled against him by the US government. He faces up to 20 years in jail.
The Court document indicated that Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation to track down Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud done by Hushpuppi.
Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai last June and he pleaded guilty to fraud in the U.S. this week.
The FBI said Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were both involved in a conspiracy to launder money.
American prosecutors first sought a court warrant to arrest Kyari on February 12, 2021, according to court documents seen by People’s Gazette.
Another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021.
Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Hushpuppi narrated how he bribed Kyari to have one of his rivals arrested and jailed in Nigeria following a dispute over a $1.1million dupe of a Qatari businessperson.
Abbas had asked Kyari to arrest and jail a fellow fraudster Kelly Chibuzor Vincent after both were locked in a dispute presumably over how to share the $1.1million loot received from the Qatari businessperson.
He will be sentenced in the coming weeks and will forfeit some of his assets and his rights to appeal while also paying restitution to victims of his years-long fraud.
Kyari in a statement on Facebook has, however, dismissed the allegations of bribe.
He said: “Friends: Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about two years ago that somebody in Nigeria seriously threatened to kill his family here in Nigeria and he sent the person’s Phone number and pleaded we take action before the Person attacks his family.
“We traced and arrested the suspect and after investigations we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life and they are longtime friends who have money issues between them hence we released the suspect on bail to go and he was not taken to any jail.
“Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi. Our focus was to save people’s lives that were purported to have been threatened.
“Later, he saw some of my native clothes and caps on my social media page and he said he likes them and he was connected to the person selling the clothes and he sent about N300k directly to the person’s account. The Native Clothes and Caps (5 sets) were brought to our office and he sent somebody to collect them in our office.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him. We responded to a distress call he made on threat to his family and released the suspect when we discovered there was no life threat from the suspect. This is the true story. Vincent is alive, he can be contacted.”
The police chief said his hands were clean
Kyari added: “Our record of service for two decades is open for everybody to see. They will continue seeing us serving our father land and we will continue responding to ALL distress calls from ALL Nigerians provided they are life threatening.
“For good Nigerians who appreciate our service please don’t worry as our hands are clean and they should please not respond to those celebrating and creating many false narratives without any Evidence. We are used to such types of people and false newsmakers and distributors.
“Thank you all and GOD bless Nigeria.”
–THE PRECISION
