Hushpuppi’s ally Woodberry pleads guilty to fraud in US, forfeits $8m

Nigerian Olalekan Ponle, popularly known as Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the United States where he is facing trial following his arrest in 2020.

By pleading guilty, Woodberry agreed to forfeit $8 million in proceeds of wire fraud as well as luxury cars and watches to the American government.

On June 10, 2020, Woodberry was arrested in Dubai alongside his associate Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi who is currently serving an 11-year sentence for a similar fraud charge.

In a plea declaration submitted at the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 6, Woodberry pleaded guilty to count one of the indictments, the Peoples Gazette reports.

According to his plea agreement, he is required to pay back the sum of $8 million he fraudulently received from the seven companies that he scammed.

“Defendant understands that by pleading guilty, he will subject to forfeiture to the United States all right, title, and interest that he has in any property constituting or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or indirectly, as a result of the offence,” stated the document containing Woodberry’s signed plea declaration.