Hushpuppi, the Instagram celebrity:
For many especially Nigerians who are not social media savvy in recent times, moreso Instagram, the name, ‘Hushpuppi’ or ‘Ray Hushpuppi’ may sound foreign and strange, but that is the name of now Nigerian Internet fraudster whose real name is Ramon Olorunwa Abbas.
Ramon or Hushpuppi was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 and extradited to the United States of America (USA) by July, 2020.
This question took our correspondents from the street of Lagos to United States. For some, especially in Nigeria, ‘puppi’ is excretes and when added with ‘hush’ it means a hastily done defecation.
For others, like Ugochukwu Iteogu, he related with the name via a United States e-commerce website, https://www.hushpuppies.com notable for “Casual Shoes, Boots, & Dress Shoes.” And wondered if Ray Hushpuppi is not connected with the Hushpuppies.com.
Also, for Samuel Onyekpandu, the name even though is an alias, means “Pupu that is hot” which resonated with a local declaration on the name.
Just as Patricia James Akhagbe told ITREALMS it means “Keep quiet, Dog” likewise Tunde Omis who described it as “Keep-quiet-small-dog.”
For Dele Bodunde, it could mean “Na chop chop. Finis!” while Oduma Michael Oge said it means “Huge puppy” even as Adebiyi Fashoyin said its “Quiet puppy!”
But then, Benedict Uwalaka pointed out that “Hush” for him means big, whereas “pupi” refers to a dog, thus Hushpuppi means “big-dog.”
Although, the government of St. Kitts and Nevis released a statement about Hushpuppi’s marriage, which stated in part and according to the Prime Minister:
“We note that the Nigeria-born Mr. Abbas, 37, was granted a St. Kitts and Nevis passport in February 2020 by virtue of his marriage to Shawana Nakesia Chapman, 32, a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis by birth and the United States of America. Ms. Chapman, a resident of North Carolina, USA, married Mr. Abbas in Nigeria in October 2018, thereby conferring him with the right to St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship.”
ITREALMS gathered that in a plea agreement document, Hushpuppi agreed to plead guilty as charged, hence a document to that effect was signed by Hushpuppi; his lawyer, Loius Shapiro; acting United States attorney, Tracy Wilkison, to name a few.
A public statement available to ITREALMS on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, by the court entitled, ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds’ revolved around school financing scam and additional cyber and business email compromise schemes.
As made available to ITREALMS by the US Department of Justice, Hushpuppi’s plea indicated that he will now be pleading guilty to Count Two which is “Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering,” an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment among other punishments including full restitution.
It read in part that “defendant (Hushpuppi) admits that defendant is, in fact, guilty of the offence to which defendant is agreeing to plead guilty.”
Arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020, and subsequently extradited to the U.S. where most of the victims of his alleged fraudulent activities are based, as well as an American citizen by marriage, Mr. Abbas has spent the last one year in custody maintaining his innocence.
A date is to be fixed for him to change his previous “not guilty” plea to “guilty” and will be followed by a sentencing hearing for the judge to determine how long he will spend in jail.
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| Hushpuppi in Police net in US. |
What does Hushpuppi mean?
Since the arrest of Ramon Abbas, aka Ray Hushpuppi in Dubia by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the media especially in Nigeria and social media have kept the name in trending; from his arrest to conspiracy especially that of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abba Kyari, but then, what is the real meaning of Hushpuppi and what does it mean to discerning minds on the street.This question took our correspondents from the street of Lagos to United States. For some, especially in Nigeria, ‘puppi’ is excretes and when added with ‘hush’ it means a hastily done defecation.
For others, like Ugochukwu Iteogu, he related with the name via a United States e-commerce website, https://www.hushpuppies.com notable for “Casual Shoes, Boots, & Dress Shoes.” And wondered if Ray Hushpuppi is not connected with the Hushpuppies.com.
Also, for Samuel Onyekpandu, the name even though is an alias, means “Pupu that is hot” which resonated with a local declaration on the name.
Just as Patricia James Akhagbe told ITREALMS it means “Keep quiet, Dog” likewise Tunde Omis who described it as “Keep-quiet-small-dog.”
For Dele Bodunde, it could mean “Na chop chop. Finis!” while Oduma Michael Oge said it means “Huge puppy” even as Adebiyi Fashoyin said its “Quiet puppy!”
But then, Benedict Uwalaka pointed out that “Hush” for him means big, whereas “pupi” refers to a dog, thus Hushpuppi means “big-dog.”
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| Hushpuppies .. small chops |
Hushpuppi na food:
Further, another respondent in the United State, who requested anonymous, told ITREALMS that the name is known as food in America and below ensued:
“Hushpuppi na food for America,” she said.
“Aah, which kind food? Lol, Na dog food abi human beings?” asked correspondent.
In response, she shared an image of what some fast food marketers described as ‘small chops’ locally in Nigeria, which is known before now as “kpof kpof.”
Yes, she confirmed, saying that “they call it hush puppies” here in America.
“I see, we learn every day. Thanks for that insight,” our correspondent said.
For instance, at Bokofood.com, ITREALMS gathered that ‘Hush Puppies’ sale for $5.86, about N2,415.55 for 7 pieces of kpof-kpof.
So take note for those of us who despise ‘small chops’ at occasions and dismiss it as ‘no food’ with a wave of hand.
ITREALMS equally gathered that Ray Hushpuppi is a Nigerian Instagram celebrity who is currently facing criminal charges in the United States over conspiracy to electronically launder money obtained by trick, also known locally as ‘419’ or ‘yahoo, yahoo’ because of its internet connection.
“Hushpuppi na food for America,” she said.
“Aah, which kind food? Lol, Na dog food abi human beings?” asked correspondent.
In response, she shared an image of what some fast food marketers described as ‘small chops’ locally in Nigeria, which is known before now as “kpof kpof.”
Yes, she confirmed, saying that “they call it hush puppies” here in America.
“I see, we learn every day. Thanks for that insight,” our correspondent said.
For instance, at Bokofood.com, ITREALMS gathered that ‘Hush Puppies’ sale for $5.86, about N2,415.55 for 7 pieces of kpof-kpof.
So take note for those of us who despise ‘small chops’ at occasions and dismiss it as ‘no food’ with a wave of hand.
ITREALMS equally gathered that Ray Hushpuppi is a Nigerian Instagram celebrity who is currently facing criminal charges in the United States over conspiracy to electronically launder money obtained by trick, also known locally as ‘419’ or ‘yahoo, yahoo’ because of its internet connection.
Meet Mrs Hushpuppi - Shawana:
ITREALMS further gathered that the Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Ray Hushpuppi in October 2018 in Nigeria got married to a North Carolina-based woman, Shawana Nakesia Chapman, 33 now, to facilitate granting of St. Kitts and Nevis passport in February 2020 and four months later, he was arrested as a US-citizen. |
| Shawana, Hushpuppi's American wife |
“We note that the Nigeria-born Mr. Abbas, 37, was granted a St. Kitts and Nevis passport in February 2020 by virtue of his marriage to Shawana Nakesia Chapman, 32, a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis by birth and the United States of America. Ms. Chapman, a resident of North Carolina, USA, married Mr. Abbas in Nigeria in October 2018, thereby conferring him with the right to St. Kitts and Nevis citizenship.”
Guilty as charged:
Hushpuppi has pleaded guilty in the charges brought against him in USITREALMS gathered that in a plea agreement document, Hushpuppi agreed to plead guilty as charged, hence a document to that effect was signed by Hushpuppi; his lawyer, Loius Shapiro; acting United States attorney, Tracy Wilkison, to name a few.
A public statement available to ITREALMS on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, by the court entitled, ‘Six Indicted in International Scheme to Defraud Qatari School Founder and then Launder over $1 Million in Illicit Proceeds’ revolved around school financing scam and additional cyber and business email compromise schemes.
As made available to ITREALMS by the US Department of Justice, Hushpuppi’s plea indicated that he will now be pleading guilty to Count Two which is “Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering,” an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment among other punishments including full restitution.
It read in part that “defendant (Hushpuppi) admits that defendant is, in fact, guilty of the offence to which defendant is agreeing to plead guilty.”
Arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE) in June 2020, and subsequently extradited to the U.S. where most of the victims of his alleged fraudulent activities are based, as well as an American citizen by marriage, Mr. Abbas has spent the last one year in custody maintaining his innocence.
A date is to be fixed for him to change his previous “not guilty” plea to “guilty” and will be followed by a sentencing hearing for the judge to determine how long he will spend in jail.
Remmy Nweke/DoP
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