Claim: An X user tweeted that Hushpuppi has been released from prison.
Verdict: MISLEADING! Hushpuppi has not been released from prison. The video dates to 2017.
Full Text
In 2022, Rammon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, was sentenced to 11 years imprisonment in Los Angeles for engaging in money laundering worth millions of dollars.
An X user, Babygirl4life (@praiseoghre), claimed on Saturday, June 8, 2024, that Hushpuppi had been released from prison. Attached to her post is a video indicating this.
The post reads, “Hushpuppi’s been released from jail. Let’s hope he has learnt from his mistakes.”
In the video clip, Hushpuppi can be seen exchanging pleasantries with seeming friends and acquaintances.
As of Saturday, June 8, 2024, the post has generated over 6,000 views, 5655 likes, 1058 reposts, 528 bookmarks, and 226 quotes.
Going through the comment section, users hoped he had repented.
Gerd Muller of Agege @Bdelaziz09 asserted, “(Wow) they have released him(.) I hope he learns from his mistakes.”
Also, Joyce @chikezirimjoyce said, “So they finally released him? Hopefully, he won’t mess up again.”
“Good for him. I hope he changes,” Baby of God X @babyMahurin said.
The virality and audience engagement of the post prompted DUBAWA to verify it.
Verification
DUBAWA carried out a Google Reverse Image Search on the screenshots of the video and found a similar video on YouTube. The video was published in 2017.
We noticed it was uploaded by iLITE TV. The video’s title caption indicates that the activities in the clip are connected to Hushpuppi’s birthday party in Cyprus.
Meanwhile, our findings showed that this is not the first time he has been alleged to have been released from prison.
DUBAWA came across a similar 2022 YouTube video by GISTWORLD ENTERTAINMENT, which stated that Hushpuppi was released from prison in the US in 2022.
Furthermore, TERATE TV also posted the same video in 2023, making a similar claim that he had been released from prison.
DUBAWA conducted a Google search engine to verify whether his release had been reported by any credible media. DUBAWA’s findings show that no report has been published supporting the X user’s claim.
Conclusion
Our research showed that the claim is not true. Hushpuppi is still serving his 11-year sentence in the United States for money laundering and internet fraud.