Gal Pissetzky, lawyer to Hushpuppi, embattled Nigerian internet celebrity, says his client is not a fraudster as alleged.
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Pissetzky, who works with Pissetzky & Berliner, a Chicago-based law firm, told Forbes that Hushpuppi did not take part in any scam or fraud.
“Absolutely not guilty of [the] charges they are accusing him of [Abbas] was running a legitimate business and a very legitimate Instagram account and did not take part in any scam or fraud,” he said.
Pissetzky also defended his client’s expensive lifestyle on social media, saying he was able to afford the lifestyle through his real estate business and brand promotion.
“He’s an entrepreneur. He has real estate involvement … [he’s] an Instagram personality. He was promoting brands and that’s how he was very legitimately making his money,” he added.
The legal representative also defended the 37-year-old’s knack for posing with celebrities including premier league stars such as Tammy Abraham and Ezri Konsa,
“Abbas is friends with a lot of people. Somebody who has that many followers – obviously he knows and has friends in a lot of places … it’s all legitimate,” he added.
Hushpuppi was arrested by the police in Dubai on June 10 alongside 11 of his associates in a special operation dubbed ‘Fox Hunt 2’
He was later extradited to the United States where is being tried for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
He and his cronies were also alleged to have attempted to defraud a law firm in the United States, a foreign financial institution, and an English Premier League soccer club.
The Nigerian, whose real name is Raymond Igbalode, recently made his first appearance before a United States court and could get a maximum jail term of 20 years if convicted.
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