U.S. Bureau of Prisons to probe Hushpuppi over viral birthday feast held in New Jersey jail
The United States of America’s Bureau of Prisons said it would probe convicted internet fraudster, Ramon “Hushpuppi” Abbas, after a video purportedly showing him holding a feast in jail went viral.
Hushpuuppi, who is currently serving an 11-year sentence, is alleged to have held a feast with others at his detention facility at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The feast was alleged to be in honour of his friend, social media influencer, Tunde Adekunle, a.k.a Tunde Ednut, who celebrated his birthday on January 22, 2024.
“We take these matters seriously,” the prison facility told Nigerian online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, Thursday night, Feb. 1, adding that the “investigative department” would take charge of the inquiry to ascertain the facts— or lack thereof— about the viral video.
The viral video of the feast purportedly shows a lavish spread of different foods, including jollof rice, pasta and soda drinks, in what appeared to be a prison facility.
“Tunde Ednut, you can see that we are celebrating you in our own little way o,” said a voice alleged to be Hushpuppi’s.
“Fried rice is ready, Tunde Ednut birthday celebration. Jollof loading, pasta is here as you can see,” the voice continued as the person, who hid his face behind the camera, displayed a variety of delicacies on a white table.
The video also shows a grey double bunk and a bed covered in white sheets, furthering the speculations that the feast was held in a US jail.
Hushpuppi, 41, was convicted for his role in a multimillion-dollar international fraud scheme in 2022. He was arrested in Dubai and extradited to the US to answer for his crimes.
In the first few years of his incarceration, Abbas reportedly enrolled in prison educational courses and also took an active role in cleaning prison facilities in a bid to earn a lighter sentence.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Los Angeles on January 19 dismissed Abbas’s appeal to review and reduce his 11-year sentence on the grounds of his good behaviour during his stay so far in jail.
