The Nigerian 37-year-old, who resides in Dubai, is known for posting photographs of luxury cars and five-star hotels on Instagram.
He was arrested in UAE last month and then extradited to the US when FBI agents obtained custody of Abbas, who faces charges of conspiring to engage in money laundering that is alleged in a criminal complaint filed on June 25.
Abbas made his initial court appearance in Chicago on Friday, and is expected to be transferred to Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
On top of the alleged scheme involving a Premier League club, Abbas and others allegedly attempted to launder hundreds of millions of dollars through business email compromise (BEC) frauds and other scams targeting a US law firm and a foreign bank.
According to the FBI, the suspect is facing charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering among others.
The affidavit read in part, “Abbas and others further conspired to launder hundreds of millions of dollars from other fraudulent schemes and computer intrusions, including one scheme to steal £100 million (approximately $124 million) from an English Premier League soccer club.”
The FBI further stated that should Hushpuppi be convicted, he risks spending 20 years in jail.
