A Federal Bureau of Investigation agent in the United States has alleged that Instagram celebrity, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi, received fresh charges as the United States prosecutors submitted court documents showing that he committed fraud and laundered over $400,000 while in jail.
The documents which were presented before the United States District Court of California on Wed 16th March 2022 showed fresh evidence indicting HushPuppi of committing fraud and money laundering in U.S Federal correctional facility.
The court documents alleged that Hushpuppi, while in prison, participated in the purchase and laundering of Economic Impact Payment debit cards fraudulently obtained from stolen data of US citizens and residents.
Economic Impact Payments are financial support offered by the US government to residents according to the CARES Act. One of the ways eligible US residents receive their Economic Impact Payments is by debit cards.
From the documents presented in court, it was found that hackers use data of US residents to file and obtain Economic Impact Payments debit cards. They sell off these EIP cards in underground marketplaces to other cybercriminals.
Reacting, the United States authorities, according to reports, said prisoners have limited access to the telephone, video, internet and computer use because of their right to privacy in a court filing.
The authority stated that like the rest of the detainees, Hushpuppi was granted access to the computer network.