Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari has issued a statement denying ever collecting any money from Hushpuppi.
In a statement, Kyari confirmed that his squad truly arrested a suspect that Hushpuppi claimed was threatening his family in Nigeria.
But he posted an emphatic denial: “Nobody demanded for a kobo from Abbas Hushpuppi..Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him”.
Hushpuppi in U.S. court papers, claimed he once bribed Kyari to do a hatchet job for him, by arresting a colleague, Kelly Chibuzo Vincent.
Kyari’s name surfaced in court papers, indicting Hushpuppi and four other Nigerians and a Kenyan in the swindling of a Qatari businessman, looking for a $15million loan to build a school.
Vincent is 40 years-old and the Kenyan was 28 year-old Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul.
Hushpuppi and gang lied to the man they could arrange the loan at Well Fargo in the U.S. But the man lost $1.1 million in the ensuing transactions.
When a dispute broke out over the sharing of the loot between Hushpuppi and Vincent, Hushpuppi called Abba Kyari to get Vincent arrested.
“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,” the statement by the California Attorney’s office said.
The statement did not indicate the precise amount paid to Abba Kyari by Hushpuppi.
Read Kyari’s statement in full:
Friends: Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about 2years 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 long time 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.
For those who are celebrating that this is an indictment on us and mentioning some fictitious Big Money, They will be disappointed once again as our hands are clean and our record of Service for 2 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.
Abba Kyari kicks as US authorities allege police officer connived with Hushpuppi
United States authorities Wednesday said one of Nigeria’s top policemen, Abba Kyari, worked with Ramon Abass, also known as Hushpuppi, to punish the latter’s partner with whom he defrauded a Qatari of $1.1 million.
[ad
Kyari is a decorated deputy commissioner in the Nigeria Police Force.
The accusation came after Hushpuppi reportedly pleaded guilty to charges of fraud in an American court on Tuesday.
But Kyari denied any wrongdoing, saying that Hushpuppi’s partner was arrested after his office was called about a potential case of threat to life.
“Nobody demanded any money from Abbas Hushpuppi and nobody collected any money from him,” Kyari said. “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.”
The United States Department of Justice said in a statement that Hushpuppi connived with one Abdulrahman Imraan Juma, a.k.a. “Abdul,” 28, of Kenya, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, 40, of Nigeria, to defraud the Qatari businessperson by claiming to be consultants and bankers who could facilitate a loan to finance the construction of a school.
The DoJ said the Kenyan national allegedly posed as a facilitator and consultant for the non-existing bank loans, while Hushpuppi acted as “Malik,” a Wells Fargo banker in New York.
Vincent was alleged to have “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.”
[ad]
Another Nigerian, 26-year-old Yusuf Adekinka Anifowoshe, participated in the fraud with a call to the victim posing as “Malik.” Anifowoshe was arrested on July 22.
The Abba Kyari Angle
A dispute arose in the gang with Vincent, which prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that Abbas and Juma were engaged in fraud.
After Vincent contacted the Qatari businessperson, court documents claimed that Hushpuppi allegedly arranged with Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police, to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria.
Kyari, according to the DoJ statement, arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed. The top cop then sent Abbas photographs of Vincent after his arrest as proof to Hushpuppi.
[ad]
“Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment,” the Department of Justice said in the statement.
Kyari said he never connived with the scammer. He insisted Vincent was arrested and released based on an allegation of threat to life. He also said he never collected a dime from Hushpuppi.
“Abbas who we later came to know as Hushpuppi called our office about 2years 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,” Kyari said.
“We traced and arrested the suspect and after investigations, we discovered there wasn’t an actual threat to anyone’s life And they are long time friends who have money issues between them hence we released the Suspect on bail to go and he was not taken to any jail.”
How the money was laundered
On July 22, American investigators arrested two other persons involved in the fraud. The two were believed to have been involved in laundering the proceed of the fraud.
According to the indictment, Abbas was assisted in laundering the proceeds of the fraud by Rukayat Motunraya Fashola, a.k.a. “Morayo,” 28, of Valley Stream, New York, and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka, a.k.a. “Bolamide,” 34, of Linden, New Jersey.
Anifowoshe, Fashola and Agbabiaka are expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in August.
Part of the money, investigators said, was converted to $50, 000 cashier checks which Hushpuppi and another conspirator used in acquiring the citizenship of Christopher and Nevis, a tiny island nation in the Caribbean also known as Sit Kitts and Nevis.
About $230,000 of the stolen funds was allegedly used to purchase a Richard Mille RM11-03 watch, which was hand-delivered to Abbas in Dubai and subsequently appeared in Hushpuppi’s social media posts.