$350,000 Fraud: US Court Orders Indefinite Detention Of Abiodun’s Suspended Aide, Bidemi Rufai

Following allegations by the United States Department of Justice
that the surety provided by a suspended aide to Ogun Governor
Abidemi Rufai is a suspected fraudster, the court for the Western
District of Washington at Tacoma, Rufai should remain in detention
indefinitely.

He is accused of being involved in $350,000 COVID-19
unemployment fraud in the United States.

He was supposed to have been released on Wednesday but the court
granted a motion by the US government for “a stay of the release
order.”

The order was granted by U.S. District Judge, Benjamin
Settle.

“The release order is STAYED, and the defendant shall remain in
custody pending this Court’s decision on the government’s motion
for review,” Mr Settle was quoted to have said.

Rufai was arrested at the airport on May 14 on his way to
Amsterdam.

The U.S. said he used the identities of more than 100 Washington
residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from
the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during
the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Although his lawyer, Michael Barrows, said Rufai denied
“involvement in these transactions” Governor Abiodun has suspended
him.

Rufai’s first appearance in court was last Wednesday.

He was denied bail because his brother, Alaba Rufai, who is
listed in court records, could not post the $300,000 surety bond
for his bail.

He got a nurse, Nekpen Soyemi, to stand in for him as surety but
the US government said Ms Soyemi is a suspected fraudster and could
not be allowed to stand surety for Rufai.

Following allegations by the United States Department of Justice
that the surety provided by a suspended aide to Ogun Governor
Abidemi Rufai is a suspected fraudster, the court for the Western
District of Washington at Tacoma, Rufai should remain in detention
indefinitely.

He is accused of being involved in $350,000 COVID-19
unemployment fraud in the United States.

He was supposed to have been released on Wednesday but the court
granted a motion by the US government for “a stay of the release
order.”

The order was granted by U.S. District Judge, Benjamin
Settle.

“The release order is STAYED, and the defendant shall remain in
custody pending this Court’s decision on the government’s motion
for review,” Mr Settle was quoted to have said.

Rufai was arrested at the airport on May 14 on his way to
Amsterdam.

The U.S. said he used the identities of more than 100 Washington
residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from
the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) during
the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Although his lawyer, Michael Barrows, said Rufai denied
“involvement in these transactions” Governor Abiodun has suspended
him.

Rufai’s first appearance in court was last Wednesday.

He was denied bail because his brother, Alaba Rufai, who is
listed in court records, could not post the $300,000 surety bond
for his bail.

He got a nurse, Nekpen Soyemi, to stand in for him as surety but
the US government said Ms Soyemi is a suspected fraudster and could
not be allowed to stand surety for Rufai.