Hushpuppi’s associate, Woodberry pleads guilty, forfeits $8m cyber crime proceeds to US Govt

Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi, a former Instagram influencer and convicted felon’s associate, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as Mr. Woodberry in a plea declaration submitted at the United State District of Illinois Eastern Division has agreed to forfeit $8 million in proceeds of the fraudulent scheme known as business email compromise (BEC).

According to sources, by pleading guilty Woodberry will forfeit every proceeds obtained directly or indirectly from the offence which he is being convicted for to the US government.

Persecondnews reports that part of his plea bargain includes the forfeiture of his luxury cars, watches, and expensive fashion accessories, one Patek Philippe watch, three Audemars Piguet watches, four Rolex watches, three gold and diamond-studded earrings, and six gold neck chains — to the US government.

“Defendant understands that by pleading guilty, he will subject to forfeiture to the United States all right, title, and interest that he has in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence,” stated the document containing Ponle’s signed plea declaration.

In June 10,2020, Hushpuppi and Woodberry were apprehended in the United Arab Emirates in a sting operation by operatives of the Dubai crime unit, tagged “Fox Hunt 2.”

The Dubai Police disclosed in a video detailing how the operation of effecting the arrest of the duo was carried out resulted in the confiscation of incriminating documents of a planned fraud on a global scale worth AED1.6 billion ($435million).

The “Fox Hunt 2” operation witnessed the seizure of of more than AED 150 million ($40.9million) in cash, 13 luxury cars with an estimated value of $6.8 million obtained from fraud crimes.