US Court rejects bail for Hushpuppi, remands him in prison

Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Raymond Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, has been denied bail in the United States.

Hushpuppi’s lawyer, Gal Pissetzky, applied for him to leave jail with an electronic tag and live with the uncle of a woman he has a child with, but US prosecutors rejected the bail application.

Okay.ng recalls that Abbas was arrested in Dubai and taken to the US for allegedly laundering millions of dollars from crimes including cyber heists, frauds and an attempt to scam an English Premier League club out of £100 million (Dh461.1m/$125.5m).

Hushpuppi was denied bail after his prosecutors said that he could commit crimes with just a smartphone and an internet connection, and that he posed too much of a flight risk.

However, his lawyer, Gal Pissetzky, Hushpuppi’s lawyer insisted that Hushpuppi should be granted bail because he would not flee the country.

Pissetzky said: “He is loved and respected. He is a celebrity.

“I don’t see the reason why he would want to ruin his credibility in the world and his status rather than stay here and face this allegation.

“Anywhere he goes, people will know. Having grown up very poor in Nigeria, Mr Abbas is now paid to pose with high-priced items such as Louis Vuitton bags that people would buy after seeing his posts on Instagram.

“He is an influencer. That’s a job today, as much as it is hard to imagine. That’s a full-time job.”

But, the Judge, Jeffrey Gilbert denied Hushpuppi’s bail request and ordered that the alleged fraudster be remanded in custody until he is taken to a court in California.