Story
Olalekan Jacob Ponle (born 25 May 1989), better known by his stage name Mr. Woodberry, is a social media celebrity, entrepreneur and socialite from Dubai.
Born in Nigeria, he rose to fame in 2017 for his lavish lifestyle. He is a close associate of social media personality Hushpuppi.
On June 10, 2020, the long arm of the law caught up with Mr. Woodberry in Dubai. He was arrested along with another notorious fraudster, Hushpuppi Abbas, who is serving an 11-year prison sentence for a similar crime.
These two individuals are accused of participating in a massive cyber fraud scheme that caused financial loss and hardship to innocent victims. The authorities are relentless in their pursuit of justice and ensuring that these fraudsters face the full consequences of their actions.
Nigerian upper class woman
Wood tree |
|
|---|---|
 Woodberry: History ‧ Biography ‧ Photos |
|
| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| First and last name: | By Jacob Ponle |
| Stage Name: | Woodberry, Mr. Woodberry |
| Born: | May 25, 1989 (age 35) |
| Place of birth: | Lagos, Nigeria |
| State of origin: | Lagos State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Height: | Do not have |
| Parents: | Mr. and Mrs. Ponle |
| Siblings: | Do not have |
| Couple: | Not married |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Do not have |
| Children: | Do not have |
| Job: | Businessman • Upper class |
| Net asset value: | $20 million – $25 million |
Early life
Mr. Woodberry was born to Mr. and Mrs. Ponle on May 25, 1989. He was born in the early 90s in Lagos City. His parents registered his birth as Olalekan Jacob Ponle.
Woodberry spent his formative years in Lagos, living in a middle-class neighborhood with his parents and siblings. Woodberry is a Yoruba man from a southwestern state in Nigeria. He speaks English, Yoruba, and Pidgin English fluently.
Education
Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, Woodberry attended public schools for primary and secondary school.
He graduated from high school after six years of study with good marks in the WAEC and NECO examinations. Due to financial constraints, Mr. Woodberry was unable to pursue higher education. However, he briefly studied at a polytechnic in southwestern Nigeria before migrating abroad.
Personal life
Woodberry worked manual jobs throughout his teenage years to earn money and meet his needs. He also taught himself how to use a computer and began using his computer skills to supplement his income. Woodberry has no girlfriend, no children, and is not married.
After saving up for a while, he migrated abroad in pursuit of greener pastures. He moved to the United Arab Emirates and settled in Dubai. He first lived in a shared apartment with a few other Nigerians before getting his own apartment.
Woodberry rose to social media fame because of his close friendship with fellow Nigerian, Hushpuppi, a prominent social media personality based in Dubai. Hushpuppi and Woodberry are known for their lavish lifestyles, which they showcase on social media. He flaunts his love of luxury consumer goods. He has purchased luxury cars ranging from a Rolls-Royce and Maybach to a G-Wagon. He also owns luxury apartments in upscale neighborhoods in Dubai, Nigeria, and other parts of the world.
Because of Woodberry’s lavish spending and ostentatious displays of wealth, many people suspected him of being involved in online fraud and cybercrime.
Arrested by Dubai Police
In June 2020, news broke that Dubai police had arrested Woodberry along with Hushpuppi and ten other associates. They were reportedly detained for their involvement in an internet fraud, informally known in Nigeria as Yahoo Yahoo.
Woodberry and Hushpuppi were arrested for their roles in a $435 million fraud. The arrests led to the recovery of $40.9 million in cash, 13 luxury cars, 21 computer devices, 47 smartphones, 11 flash drives and five hard drives containing 119,580 fraudulent files.
Dubai police referred the case of Mr Woodberry and Mr Hushpuppi to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in July 2020. The pair were extradited to the United States to face trial for their crimes, which they are accused of defrauding more than 1.9 million victims over several years.
Plea Agreement
After being extradited to the United States, Mr. Woodberry was tried separately from Hushpuppi. He was charged with defrauding a U.S. company of approximately $188,000. He initially pleaded not guilty and was held in jail while the trial continued.
However, Woodberry made a complete change of sentence when he pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the U.S. District Court for Northern Illinois in April 2023. Judge Robert Gettleman accepted Woodberry’s change of plea in a ruling issued on April 6, 2023. The judge set a July 11, 2023, sentencing date after Woodberry’s attorneys and U.S. prosecutors reached a plea agreement.
Social Media
Mr. Woodberry has a large social media following. He has over 141,000 followers on his Instagram account.
- Instagram Name: @mrwoodberry
Net asset value
Mr. Woodberry made a lot of money from his business dealings and amassed a fortune in a short period of time. He is estimated to be worth between $20 and $25 million (USD).
