Dubai-based Nigerian, Ramon Abbas better known as Hushpuppi, who was arrested last month for alleged cyber fraud, has reportedly secured the service of a highly respected criminal defence attorney in Chicago, Gal Pissetzky.
According to Premium Times, court documents showed that Hushpuppi on Monday retained Gal Pissetzky, a senior partner at Chicago law firm Pissetzky & Berliner, to help extricate him from multi-million dollar fraud charges levelled against him by American authorities.
Following his arrest in Dubai in June, Hushpuppi and another associate, Woodberry were extradited to US last week Thursday.
Hushpuppi faces trial in Los Angeles and Chicago, where he had his first court appearance on July 3 after he arrived in the US.
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Hushpuppi, was arrested alongside dozens of his alleged co-conspirators following an overnight raid of his apartments in Dubai on June 10.
Emirate police and prosecutors said about N16 billion was found in cash out of an estimated N168 billion online scams linked to the syndicate.
Although American prosecutors said Hushpuppi would still be transferred to Los Angeles “in the coming weeks”, he has decided to hire a top lawyer in Chicago to guide him through the process of transfer to Los Angeles.
Mr Pissetzky made the first appearance his on behalf at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on July 3, documents showed.
The lawyer is described on the website of his law firm 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.
Mr Pissetzky was called to the bar in 2002 and has practiced in Chicago since 2002.
He has earned a reputation for his fierce and zealous advocacy and was named a Super Lawyer Rising Star™ in 2011 and included in the list of Top 100 Trial Lawyers repeatedly.
Already, court hearings have commenced for Hushpuppi to be moved from Chicago to Los Angeles where he was indicted on June 25 and a warrant issued for his arrest.
Mr Pissetzky would likely counsel the suspected fraudster through the removal process in Chicago, but it was unclear whether or not he would follow the suspect to Los Angeles.
See court documents showing Mr Pissetzky as Hushpuppi’s counsel;
