St Kitts still probing Hushpuppi citizenship by alleged sham marriage
Ramon “Hushpuppi” Abbas, a former social media celebrity from Nigeria, was found guilty of participating in an international fraud ring and received a 135-month jail term at a US federal facility.
Hushpuppi defrauded the victim businessperson out of about $330,000, and the funds of the scheme were used to illegally obtain citizenship and a passport for Abbas through a fictitious marriage to a St. Kitts citizen for about $50,000.
Following the alleged “fake marriage” and subsequent issuance of citizenship to “Hushpuppi,” the Attorney-Office General’s in St. Kitts and Nevis has provided an update on the situation.
According to the document, in July 2021, American law enforcement officials got in touch with the Royal Saint Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) to share information regarding Hushpuppi’s allegedly unlawful activities in St. Kitts. The RSCNPF formally opened an investigation.
In accordance with the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, the RSCNPF prepared a draft Request for Assistance from the United States in the investigation of Hushpuppi in September 2021. (MLAT Request).
In order to support the local RSCNPF investigation, which has named residents of both St. Kitts and the United States, this MLAT Request attempted to get official evidence from the US.
The Attorney-Office, General’s the competent state agency in charge of forwarding MLAT Requests to other states/countries, received the MLAT Request after the then-Director of Public Prosecutions promptly supplied his input.
The then-Attorney-General never authorized the draft MLAT Request dated September 15, 2021. After asking the current Attorney-General about the investigation’s progress on October 21, 2022, he received a copy of the draft MLAT Request and has been in contact with the RSCNPF to finalize it before sending it to the US.
The RSCPF “provided some information…in terms of doing an MLAT [Mutual and Legal Agreement Treaty] to collect evidence from the United States of America,” the Commissioner of Police said in a public statement on February 11, 2022. The Police are unable to go and make a request. Our legal representative would need to ask the American authority with jurisdiction over them to request the proof. Until we obtain the additional evidence, we will take any action that is possible.
The inquiry is still going on, according to the RSCPF, although its progress has slowed down due to the MLAT Request’s delay.
The former prime minister said, “[t]he question of the cancellation of Mr. Abbas’ citizenship has been filed before our Attorney General for consultation and guidance,” on August 5, 2021, in the National Assembly.
The Attorney-Office General’s has not been able to find any such file, though.
In order for the local RSCPF investigation to be completed and, if necessary, in the opinion of the RSCPF and Director of Public Prosecutions, for individuals involved in this alleged “sham” citizenship by marriage scheme to be charged and brought to justice in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Attorney-Office General’s is actively making arrangements for the swift transmission of the MLAT Request.
The Prime Minister and Minister of National Security will be promptly informed by the Attorney-Office General’s of his choices with regard to Hushpuppi’s citizenship.
