Arrested at NY airport on criminal complaint

One of the Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abidemi Rufai, suspected in Washington state’s $650 million unemployment fraud was arrested last week Friday, at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport by federal agents as he allegedly attempted to leave the country.

A Nigerian citizen was arrested Friday evening at JFK Airport in New York on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud for his scheme to steal over $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Abidemi Rufai, aka Sandy Tang, 42, of Lekki, Nigeria, made his initial appearance Saturday, May 15, 2021, in New York. He is scheduled for a detention hearing Wednesday.

“Since the first fraud reports to our office in April 2020, we have worked diligently with a federal law enforcement team to track down the criminals who stole funds designated for pandemic relief,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “This is the first, but will not be the last, significant arrest in our ongoing investigation of ESD fraud.”

The criminal complaint alleges that Rufai used the stolen identities of more than 100 Washington residents to file fraudulent claims with ESD for pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Rufai also filed fraudulent unemployment claims with Hawaii, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania. Rufai used variations of a single e-mail address in a manner intended to evade automatic detection by fraud systems. By using this practice, Rufai made it appear that each claim was connected with a different email account.
Rufai caused the fraud proceeds to be paid out to online payment accounts such as ‘Green Dot’ accounts, or wired to bank accounts controlled by “money mules.” Some of the proceeds were then mailed to the Jamaica, New York address of Rufai’s relative. Law enforcement determined more than $288,000 was deposited into an American bank account controlled by Rufai between March and August 2020.

“Greed is a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, the greed alleged to this defendant affects all taxpayers,” said Donald Voiret, Special Agent in Charge FBI Seattle. “The FBI and our partners will not stand idly by while individuals attempt to defraud programs meant to assist American workers and families suffering the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Wire fraud is punishable by up to thirty years in prison when it relates to benefits paid in connection with a presidentially declared disaster or emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). The fraud on ESD is being investigated cooperatively by the FBI, DOL-OIG, Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. The Washington Employment Security Department is cooperating in the investigation.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson, Cindy Chang, and Benjamin Diggs of the Western District of Washington, and Trial Attorney Jane Lee of DOJ’s Cyber Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/nigerian-citizen-charged-defrauding-washington-state-employment-security-department

https://wazobiareportersng.com/2021/05/17/ogun-gov-dapo-abioduns-aide-arrested-in-new-york-over-650m-washington-states-covid-19-unemployment-fraud-risks-30-years-imprisonment/?fbclid=IwAR3Vn7ZhxY2NajrOUS1tSyB1a8tCmkFOzp_ccxMqkdGJzQVNaQJhGqcltMg

Na wa ooo.

Fake news.
America should leave the poor boy

Yet, another one.

Bad ambassadors. These are the bad eggs ruining it all for the few decent and legitimate hardworking ones who would never get political appointments due to their inability to lavish their hard-earned monies to impress the thieves at the corridors of power.

What a rotten and a vicious cycle of homemade, exported, and re-imported criminals.

He must have have spent a lot for the party too...I bet Darudapo barely knows this guy, the SSA thing was just reward for diligent campaign work/loyalty/funding

Yahoo boy wey sharply enter politics...now imagine this guy as governor in ten years, and show me how the tiniest spot of hope can possibly exist on Nigeria's horizon

Yahoo Boys in politics. We have one as speaker of the federal house of assembly.

NarcoPolo:
He must have have spent a lot for the party too...I bet Darudapo barely knows this guy, the SSA thing was just reward for diligent campaign work/loyalty/funding

Yahoo boy wey sharply enter politics...now imagine this guy as governor in ten years, and show me how the tiniest spot of hope can possibly exist on Nigeria's horizon

Imagine? 10years? They are already there. Cultists, murderers & all kinds of dubious elements serving in all kind of positions. Everywhere.

Odeh. U go enter jail 20years sure 4u. Bastar d. Greet hushpuppy ok.fool

Ole oloriburuku, adojutini eda

Unscrupulous characters who littered the political landscape of Nigeria, are doing unbelievable damages to our national psyche.

US feds charge Nigerian man with defrauding Washington State Employment Security Department of over $350,000
May 18, 2021 by Habib Ahmed
https://www.lagostimes.com/2021/05/18/us-feds-charge-nigerian-man-with-defrauding-washington-state-employment-security-department-of-over-350000/

The United States Justice Department has charged a 42-year-old Nigerian man with defrauding the Washington State Employment Security Department. Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said Abidemi Rufai was arrested Friday evening at JFK Airport in New York on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud for his scheme to steal over $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department. Mr Rufai, also known as Sandy Tang of Lekki, Nigeria, made his initial appearance Saturday May 15, 2021 in New York. He is scheduled for a detention hearing Wednesday.

“Since the first fraud reports to our office in April 2020, we have worked diligently with a federal law enforcement team to track down the criminals who stole funds designated for pandemic relief,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Gorman. “This is the first, but will not be the last, significant arrest in our ongoing investigation of ESD fraud.”

The criminal complaint alleges that Rufai used the stolen identities of more than 100 Washington residents to file fraudulent claims with ESD for pandemic-related unemployment benefits. Rufai also filed fraudulent unemployment claims with Hawaii, Wyoming, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, and Pennsylvania. Rufai used variations of a single e-mail address in a manner intended to evade automatic detection by fraud systems. By using this practice, Rufai made it appear that each claim was connected with a different email account.

Rufai caused the fraud proceeds to be paid out to online payment accounts such as ‘Green Dot’ accounts, or wired to bank accounts controlled by “money mules.” Some of the proceeds were then mailed to the Jamaica, New York address of Rufai’s relative. Law enforcement determined more than $288,000 was deposited into an American bank account controlled by Rufai between March and August 2020.

“Greed is a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, the greed alleged to this defendant affects all taxpayers,” said Donald Voiret, Special Agent in Charge FBI Seattle. “The FBI and our partners will not stand idly by while individuals attempt to defraud programs meant to assist American workers and families suffering the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Wire fraud is punishable by up to thirty years in prison when it relates to benefits paid in connection with a presidentially-declared disaster or emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

The charges contained in the complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG). The fraud on ESD is being investigated cooperatively by the FBI, DOL-OIG, Social Security Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. The Washington Employment Security Department is cooperating in the investigation.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Wilkinson, Cindy Chang, and Benjamin Diggs of the Western District of Washington, and Trial Attorney Jane Lee of DOJ’s Cyber Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).


L-R: Ogun State Chief of Staff Shuaib Afolabi Salisu and Abidemi Rufai
In Nigeria, where Mr Rufai was celebrated as a successful realtor and upcoming politician, he owned a betting company Ecobet and had access to some of the most powerful politicians in his native Ogun state.

Go big or go home.