Gov. Abiodun’s fmr aide, Abidemi Rufai, bags five years imprisonment for fraud

Abidemi Rufai, a former aide to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has been sentenced to five years in prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his attempt to steal nearly $2.4 million from the United States government, including approximately $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits.

The convict was wearing a $10,000 watch and $35,000 gold chain when he was arrested at JFK International Airport in New York on his way to Nigeria in May 2021, according to The Associated Press.

The 45-year-old resident of Lekki, Lagos, was sentenced on Monday, September 26, 2022, by a federal judge in Tacoma, Washington.

Rufai pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Washington, in May to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, and was slammed with 36 months for wire fraud and 24 months for aggravated identity theft.