Has Hushpuppi Been Released, Deported to Nigeria? Fact Emerges

Washington, D.C., United States - Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, has made headlines several times due to rumours of his release from prison in the United States (US). 

An X (formerly Twitter) influencer, Samsonthegoat25, shared a post claiming the convicted cybercrime offender had been released and deported to Nigeria. 

Hushpuppi began his career in Oworonshoki, a poor coastal area in the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. 

Local driver Seye told the BBC that he remembered Abbas as a young boy working alongside his mother in the Olojojo market. His father was a taxi driver. 

As he grew older, Seye says, Abbas liked to splash his cash: "He was generous. He used to buy beer for everyone around."

But everyone knew the source of his mysterious wealth - cybercrime; he was a 'Yahoo Boy,' Seye said. In one fraudulent activity, Hushpuppi attempted to steal more than $1.1m from someone who wanted to fund a new children's school in Qatar. 

Findings showed that Hushpuppi funded his luxurious lifestyle by laundering illicit proceeds generated by con artists. 

In a post dated Saturday, December 27, @Samsonthegoat25 wrote: 

“Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, has been released and deported back to Nigeria after his 2022 sentencing in the USA. 

He was released yesterday for good behaviour and commitment during his time in prison. Welcome back, Ray Hushpuppi!

The post has garnered over 2 million views. 

Samson attached two blurry images showing a man resembling Hushpuppi being handcuffed by the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) officers at an airport. 

Several X users have questioned the veracity of his claim, but Samson insisted it was true, telling his audience, “You know I can't lie.

Hushpuppi hasn't been released from prison 

Given Hushpuppi's notoriety, news of his release would undoubtedly be a trending topic in Nigeria if credible. However, no such reports have surfaced yet. Apart from fact checks, the latest major news we found about Hushpuppi was a few years back, after his sentencing in the US.