‘Hushpuppi’ gets prison term for money laundering conspiracy

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Nigerian social media influencer who called himself Ray Hushpuppi and flaunted a lavish lifestyle fueled by his eforts to launder millions of stolen dollars has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison. Ramon Abbas also was ordered Monday by a federal court in Los Angeles to pay $1.7 million in restitution to two victims. Before his arrest in Dubai, Abbas had 2 million Instagram followers, posting about a lifestyle involving private jets, luxury cars, fancy clothes and watches. Prosecutors said he helped launder money from victims including a bank in Malta and a soccer club in the United Kingdom. He pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy.