Nigerian social media big boy, Ramon Igbalode Abass aka Hushpuppi has reportedly hired Gal Pissetzky, a highly respected lawyer in Chicago who specializes in criminal cases.
Hushpuppi, who was extradited to the US from Dubai last week Thursday faces trial in Los Angeles, where his case has been filed before a US District Court in Central District of California.
Pissetzky confirmed in a text message he will be defending Hushpuppi, PM News reports.
“I do represent Mr Abbas”, Pissetzky said. “Most likely I’ll be following the case to LA too”
Hushpuppi appeared to have hired the right attorney.
Mr. Pissetzky is described on the website of his law firm, Pissetzky & Berliner, LLC as a well-respected member of the legal community, who has represented many clients in high-profile cases and is frequently quoted in the press.
“He regularly appears on TV as the legal consultant/advisor regarding high profile criminal cases”.
Mr. Pissetzky has handled multi-issue complex trials and appeals.
“His practice focuses on defending clients of complex federal and state crimes, such as financial crimes, wire fraud, mail fraud, political corruption, medicare fraud, conspiracy, large-scale drug crimes, murder, attempted murder and other violent crimes, gun offences, sex offences, as well as any criminal forfeiture proceedings that occur as a result of the criminal charges”, the web site said.
Mr. Pissetzky began his career as a defense attorney in 2002 after spending four years with the Cook County State Attorney’s Office.
He obtained his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School. He is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Mr. Pissetzky has earned a reputation for his fierce and zealous advocacy. He was named a Super Lawyer Rising Star in 2011 and included in the list of Top 100 Trial Lawyers repeatedly
Pissetzky client Ramon Hushpuppi was described by the U.S. Justice Department, along with the FBI as “one of the leaders of a transnational network that facilitates computer intrusions” in order “to steal hundreds of millions of dollars” from victims all over the world.
The U.S has declined to identify all those targeted by the alleged conspiracy.
The list reportedly includes a New York-based law firm that was defrauded out of almost US$1 million last October, a “foreign financial institution” that suffered a loss of $14.7 million following a cyber-heist in February 2019, and an English Premier League football club targeted as part of a scheme to steal almost $125 million.
In a separate case filed in U.S. District Court of Chicago, Hushpuppi’s friend, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, also known as “Mr. Woodbery” and “Mark Kain,” 29, originally of Lagos, Nigeria, is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
“A criminal complaint accuses Ponle of orchestrating “business email compromise” schemes to defraud several U.S.-based companies. The schemes resulted in attempted or actual losses to victim companies in the tens of millions of dollars, including a Chicago-based company that was defrauded into sending wire transfers totaling $15.2 million, the complaint states”.