I didn’t know Hushpuppi was into fraud – Davido

Afrobeat superstar Davido recently spoke about his friendship with Hushpuppi. Hushpuppi, whose real name is Ramon Abbas, is a convicted fraudster.

In a podcast interview, Davido said he was unaware of Hushpuppi’s illegal activities. He acknowledged their friendship but emphasized he didn’t know what Hushpuppi was doing.

Despite the controversy, Davido expressed sympathy for Hushpuppi. He hopes for his eventual release from prison in the U.S.

“Hushpuppi is coming out soon,” Davido said. “He lived life. It’s not worth it to be locked up.” He added that some people are happy to enjoy life for a few years before facing consequences.

Davido also mentioned Nigeria's economic struggles as a reason for rising crime rates. “In Nigeria, there is hardship that makes people think like this,” he explained.

He continued, “People say, let me ball for two years and then I’m good.” His prayers go out to Hushpuppi because they were friends.

Hushpuppi was sentenced in 2022 by U.S. District Judge Otis Wright II. He received over 11 years in prison for conspiracy to commit fraud involving millions of dollars. The judge also ordered him to pay $1,732,841 in restitution to two victims.

Hushpuppi pleaded guilty in April 2021 to money laundering charges. He was arrested in Dubai in June 2020 and has been in federal custody since then.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada stated that Hushpuppi bragged on social media about his lavish lifestyle funded by fraud schemes targeting victims worldwide.