Instagram fraudster 'Jay Mazini' has been sentenced for his crypto scheme that preyed on Muslims
The former Instagram influencer known as “Jay Mazini” has been sentenced to seven years in prison after admitting he stole millions of dollars in various investment scams
NEW YORK — The former Instagram influencer known as “ Jay Mazini ” who swindled millions of dollars from online followers and a network of Muslims during the pandemic was sentenced to seven years in prison on Wednesday, prosecutors said.
Jebara Igbara, 28, of New Jersey, had pleaded guilty to fraud charges, admitting that he created a Ponzi scheme that involved cryptocurrency frauds netting around $8 million. Prosecutors say the money funded a decadent lifestyle that included luxury cars and a lot of gambling.
Exploiting the economic chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic, Igbara leveraged connections in the Muslim community to gather investments for his firm Hallal Capital LLC, saying it would earn returns on stocks, and the reselling of electronics and personal protective equipment.
“Shamefully, he targeted his own religious community, taking advantage of their trust in him so he could spend and gamble their hard-earned money,” said Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, in a statement.
As he networked with high-value investors locally, Igbara amplified his online persona, reaching around 1 million Instagram followers, prosecutors said.
He built a following in part by filming cash giveaways, often handing stacks of money to fast food workers or everyday people checking out at Walmart. In at least one video, he handed out cash alongside rapper 50 Cent.
Viewers got the impression he was so successful he could just give money away. And his online popularity earned him even more trust from fraud victims, prosecutors said.
By 2020, he
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