Why Hushpuppi’s Trial Will Not Commence Today – U.S Justice Department tells Neusroom
The United States Department of Justice has told Neusroom that the trial of Ramon Abass Olorunwa aka Hushpuppi will not commence today, Tuesday, May 4, 2021, as earlier scheduled.
Hushpuppi, who was arrested in Dubai in June 2020, is being held in Los Angeles over allegations that he conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from Business Email Compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams. He will be facing trial at the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
This is the second time his trial will be moved in six months. It was moved from October 2020 to May 4, 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The spokesperson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Thom Mrozek, has now told Neusroom in an email, over the weekend, that Hushpuppi’s trial will not commence today (Tuesday).
“Trials have not resumed in this district, so he will NOT be going to trial next week (Tuesday May 4),” Mrozek wrote.
This is due to the COVID-19 exposure risks in the Central District of California.
Although the spokesperson did not tell Neusroom if a new date has been fixed for the trial, information on the website of the U.S District Court for the Central District of California reveal that “jury trials will commence in the Southern Division on May 10, 2021, while trials will commence in the Eastern and Western Divisions on June 7, 2021.”
Hushpuppi will be tried at the Western Division before Rozella Oliver, a Federal Magistrate Judge.
In February, the court approved the application filed by two criminal defense lawyers Gal Pissetzky and Vicki Podberesky to withdraw from Hushpuppi’s case.
He has now hired a new attorney, Loius Shapiro, a top criminal defence lawyer and former deputy public defender for Los Angeles.
A Neusroom exposé on Hushpuppi in July 2020 revealed how he allegedly started internet fraud from a Lagos slum before travelling out of the country. Before his arrest, he lived a lavish lifestyle posting photos of exotic cars, designer clothes and shoes, jewelry, wine, and women on his Instagram page from his luxury hotel apartment at the Palazzo Versace Dubai.
