In a landmark legal proceeding, Bergen County Instagram influencer Jebara Igbara, widely known as “Jay Mazini,” has been handed a seven-year prison sentence for orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that amassed $8 million, marking a significant development in the realm of social media-driven financial scams.
District Judge Frederic Block, presiding over the case in Brooklyn, imposed an 84-month prison term on Igbara, who pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering in November 2022, as announced by the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
The 28-year-old Edgewater resident, who cultivated a sizable following on Instagram under the pseudonym “Jay Mazini,” was renowned for posting videos of himself dispensing cash and lavish gifts, projecting an image of generosity and affluence to his nearly one million followers. However, investigations revealed a darker reality, wherein Igbara exploited his social media platform to perpetrate fraudulent activities primarily targeting the Muslim community.
Prosecutors outlined Igbara’s modus operandi, detailing how he solicited investments from unsuspecting individuals within his own religious community under the guise of various ventures, including stock trading, electronics resale, and personal protective equipment sales. However, these ventures were merely facades for a Ponzi scheme, with Igbara diverting funds for personal enrichment, indulging in extravagant purchases and gambling sprees.
The sentencing underscores the grave repercussions of Igbara’s deceitful actions, which not only defrauded investors of their hard-earned money but also breached the trust placed in him by his followers. United States Attorney Breon Peace denounced Igbara’s exploitation of his social media prominence, highlighting the need for stringent consequences to deter similar fraudulent schemes in the future.
Moreover, authorities revealed the intricacies of Igbara’s crypto-related fraud, wherein he leveraged his online persona to lure victims into cryptocurrency investment scams, ultimately embezzling funds by presenting falsified wire transfer confirmations. Thomas M. Fattorusso, special agent in charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation in New York, condemned Igbara as a “crypto con man,” emphasizing the magnitude of his deception and its devastating impact on the New York Muslim community.
As Igbara faces the consequences of his actions behind bars, the case serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the perils of blind trust in social media influencers and the imperative for heightened vigilance in the digital age. The sentencing marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against financial fraud, signaling a resolute stance by authorities to hold perpetrators of online scams accountable for their wrongdoing.
