Former U.S. cybercriminal-turned-cybersecurity consultant Brett Johnson has cast doubt on the chances of Nigerian social media influencer Ramon Abbas, widely known as Hushpuppi, receiving a second chance after his prison sentence. Currently serving 11 years in the United States for a global fraud scheme, Hushpuppi’s prospects for a fresh start may be hampered by systemic inequalities, according to Johnson.

Speaking at the GITEX Global event in Dubai, Johnson, who has reformed his own life after being on the FBI’s most-wanted list, shared insights with The PUNCH on the potential obstacles Abbas may face post-incarceration. While Johnson found a pathway to redemption by collaborating with law enforcement as a cybersecurity consultant for companies like Microsoft, he expressed skepticism about Abbas finding similar opportunities.

“Hushpuppi may never get the second chance I did,” Johnson remarked, emphasizing the unique barriers Abbas might encounter. “I don’t know what type of opportunity that man is going to have because of where he is from. That’s the truth, and I think that’s a damn shame, but that’s the way the world is working right now.”

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Johnson, once the mastermind behind ShadowCrew—a notorious online network enabling illegal transactions and a precursor to today’s darknet markets—was eventually apprehended and pivoted to work with federal authorities. Reflecting on the challenges facing non-Western ex-convicts, he observed that racial and socio-economic inequities often restrict chances for reform, noting, “White males have more opportunity than he’s [Abbas] going to have.”

The cybersecurity expert also acknowledged the transformative potential of incarceration, suggesting it could be a time for Abbas to work on personal change. “I was told this when I went to prison: whatever you don’t like about yourself, whatever you want to change, you have the opportunity to change that in prison,” Johnson said. He added, “If you’re a criminal and you want a different life, you can work on that from prison and change your life.”

Johnson encouraged Hushpuppi to use his sentence as a period of self-reflection and growth, stressing that a life of helping others is more rewarding than one that harms. Prior to his 2020 arrest in Dubai, Abbas gained over two million followers on Instagram, often showcasing a lavish lifestyle allegedly funded through complex global fraud schemes. Despite his past, Johnson’s advice to Hushpuppi is clear: rehabilitation and change are possible, even behind bars.