The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has denied lawyers Louis Shapiro, Michael Khouri and John Iweanoge’s request to stop representing convicted internet fraudster Ramon “Hushpuppi” Abbas.

“The motion to withdraw (Docket Entry No. 2) is denied without prejudice,” reads the court order filed in the Central District of California, Los Angeles on January 19.

The court asserted that the move to end Hushpuppi’s legal representation did not comply with due process because it “does not include a completed financial affidavit to support appointment of new counsel” and because it did not specifically mention that a new attorney had been hired.

For their motions to be reconsidered, the appeal court gave the attorneys 35 days to provide a “substitution of retained counsel or assist appellant in completing a financial affidavit.”

If they do not, they would have to keep representing the convicted fraudster determined to have his 140-month sentence overturned.

Peoples Gazette reported in November 2022 that Mr Abbas had filed a notice to appeal the 11-year sentence handed down to him for internet fraud and money laundering. 

Mr Abbas believes his good behaviour such as cleaning bathrooms and obtaining several educational certificates throughout his incarceration and trial should earn him a lighter jail term, hence, his interest in appealing the sentence.