Hushpuppi: US court orders FBI to arrest, detain Abba Kyari, risks 20 years imprisonment

A warrant of arrest has been issued for Nigeria’s police commissioner Abba Kyari, US court documents reveal.

Otis Wright of the United States District Court for the Central District of California ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to track down Mr Kyari and produce him in the United States for his role in a multi-million dollar fraud perpetrated by Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, a notorious Nigerian fraudster.

Mr Abbas was arrested in Dubai last June and he pleaded guilty to fraud in the U.S. this week. The FBI said Messrs Abbas and Kyari have been friends and were both involved in a conspiracy to launder money.

Mr Kyari was also indicted of receiving bribes from Mr Abbas to arrest a member of the syndicate in Nigeria.

American prosecutors first sought a court warrant to arrest Mr Kyari on February 12, 2021, according to court documents seen by Vangaurd. Another warrant was requested on April 29, 2021.

 “A criminal complaint and an indictment contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Both conspiracy counts alleged in the indictment carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison term,” the court document reveal.

Judge Wright’s permission for the FBI to arrest Mr Kyari and hold him in U.S. custody was unsealed on July 26.

Mr Kyari in a statement denied allegations of conspiracy with Hushpuppi, saying he only met him two years ago and did not benefit financially from the fraudster.