Former US cybercriminal and now a cybersecurity consultant, Brett Johnson, has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of an easy release for Nigerian social media influencer, Ramon Abbas, known as Hushpuppi.
Hushpuppi is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in the United States for international fraud. Johnson, once on the FBI’s most-wanted list and currently a cybersecurity consultant for companies such as Microsoft, made this disclosure at the just concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
He said that although he received a second chance after his criminal career, Abbas may struggle to find similar opportunities due to systemic inequalities. “Hushpuppi may never get the second chance I did,” Johnson said, highlighting the challenges Abbas may face because of his background.
“I don’t know what type of opportunity that man is going to have because of where he is from. That’s the truth, and I think that’s a damn shame, but that’s the way the world is working right now,” he said.
Johnson masterminded ShadowCrew, an early online marketplace for illegal activities that helped pave the way for today’s darknet markets. He was eventually arrested and cooperated with the Secret Service as a consultant and informant.
Speaking further, Johnson pointed out racial and socio-economic inequalities that often limit rehabilitation prospects, stating, “The truth of the matter is that white males have more opportunity than he’s (Abbas) going to have.”
The cybersecurity expert believes Abbas will encounter significant hurdles in attempting to rebuild his life after prison.
Hushpuppi had amassed over two million Instagram followers before his 2020 arrest in Dubai. Known for flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, Abbas allegedly funded his opulence through elaborate schemes that defrauded victims worldwide. According to Johnson, imprisonment could serve as an opportunity for self-improvement.
“I was told this when I went to prison: whatever you don’t like about yourself, whatever you want to change, you have the opportunity to change that in prison,” he said. “If you’re a criminal and you want a different life, you can work on that from prison and change your life.”
Johnson urged Abbas to use his time behind bars for transformation, advocating for rehabilitation of crime. “It’s better to help people than to hurt people,” he stated.
