Abidemi Rufai, who is a suspended senior special assistant to Ogun State governor in South-West Nigeria, arrested in May last year in the United State for wire fraud, has pleaded guilty to the fraud and aggravated identity theft in a District Court in Tacoma.
45-year-old Rufai pleaded guilty on Tuesday in US District Court in Tacoma to charges that he used stolen Social Security numbers and other personal data to file $350,763 in fake claims for pandemic unemployment benefits in 2020.
According to a US Attorney’s Office statement, between 2017 and 2020, Rufai filed fraudulent claims for $1.7 million in federal tax refunds, of which $90,877 was paid out.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing benefits from other states, as well as another $250,000 from other federal programs,
US Attorney’s Office spokesperson Emily Langlie said “he has agreed to disclose all of his assets and to cooperate in US government efforts to recover on those assets,” It is not clear how he would make payments or whether his agreement meant he still had access to the stolen funds.
Although Nigeria is arguably the biggest Tech market in Africa, with many talented individuals doing the country proud locally and abroad. High-profile international fraud cases are also traceable to Nigerians. Recall the case of one Ramon Abbas, popularly known Hushpuppi who is currently serving a jail term in the US for fraud which court documents filed in California say cost victims almost $24m (£17m) in total.