An investigation by Instagram declared the multi-million-dollar fraudster known as Hushpuppi free to continue using his social media account, despite his arrest in Dubai and probable 20-year jail term.
Nigerian social media influencer Ramon Abbas lived a life of luxury in Dubai thanks to a multi-million dollar money laundering empire, yet his crimes do not violate social media laws.
Instagram told The National it had well-established processes with law enforcement and a policy on “inmate takedown requests” in place for prisoners active on social media.
Abbas has not posted on Instagram to his 2.5 million followers since June 2020.
But the company’s global team said he would be free to continue to use the site unless directed otherwise from law enforcement in the US, where he is awaiting sentencing.
Abbas does not fall under the categories which would validate account removal.
Instagram said accounts are only usually closed if they represent dangerous organisations or individuals.
Despite pleading guilty to his crimes as revealed in court documents from April 2021, Abbas is yet to be imprisoned, so his account does not breach Instagram policies or community standards.
The 37-year-old swindler pleaded guilty to crimes that netted profits of some $24 million from his victims and was arrested in a high-profile swoop by police at his luxury hotel apartment at the Palazzo Versace on Dubai Creek in 2020.
In one of his scams, he attempted to steal more than $1.1 million from a wealthy benefactor who wanted to fund a children’s school in Qatar.
Despite his crimes, Abbas remains free to post snippets of his new life behind bars from his Instagram account should he have access to a mobile device or computer.
Abbas used Instagram to show his largesse, sharing photos of extravagant shopping trips, luxury cars, clothes and watches.
While his dress sense may not have been to all tastes - posting images of matching Hawaiian shirts and shorts, and a purple Rolls Royce - they were clear signs of the proceeds of his crimes.
One post included a custom made Richard Mille watch worth $150,000.
An international police investigation uncovered almost $41 million in cash and 13 cars valued at about $6.8 million.
Further evidence in phone and computer records contained more than 100,000 fraudulent files and the email addresses of nearly two million possible victims.
Abbas owned a fleet of luxury cars, including a Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maybach.
Facebook uses both human reviewers and sophisticated technology across all of its apps to detect, remove and prevent the promotion of misinformation.
Inmate accounts are disabled when a prison provides Facebook with legal authority banning a prisoner’s access to social media or the internet, or if the prison submits facts suggesting there is a real-world safety risk.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
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4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
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RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs
Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder
Power: 70bhp
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Transmission: four-speed manual
Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000
On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970
The biog
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
The Library: A Catalogue of Wonders
Stuart Kells, Counterpoint Press
