NewStats: 3,262,364 , 8,176,937 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 12:56 AM 292u4u

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Washington


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 17, 2021

Nigerian citizen charged with defrauding Washington State Employment Security Department of over $350,000
Arrested at NY airport on criminal complaint


Seattle – 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 .

Rufai caused the fraud proceeds to be paid out to online payment s such as ‘Green Dot’ s, or wired to bank s 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 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).

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

How Abidemi Rufai, Ogun governor’s aide was arrested for $350,000 fraud in US

Tuesday, May 18, 2021 9:40 am


Abidemi Rufai, aka ‘Sandy Tang,’ a senior special assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has been arrested in the United States over theft of over $350,000 unemployment benefits from the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 42-year-old allegedly submitted dozens of unemployment claims using stolen identities between March and October 2020 to steal the fund.

Rufai was nabbed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York while trying to escape to Nigeria and has been charged with wiring over $350,000 in unemployment benefits in the U.S.

Rufai had used a single Gmail to file 102 claims for ESD benefits and also used it to file for benefits in 10 other states.

He had allegedly byed security systems at ESD using a simple feature of Gmail which allows s to create many additional email addresses simply by adding one or more periods to the original email address.

However, he was busted following a federal judge warrant to Gmail, allowing investigators to search his e-mail .

Subsequent search of the mail revealed his Nigerian phone number which was linked to the .

He had also used the same recovery phone number to apply for US Visa in 2019 while a Google Drive associated with the Gmail included the picture he used in the visa application and other government documents.

Investigators also discovered confirmation emails for products that listed his brother’s address in Jamaica, New York, as the billing address as well as a massive cache of tax returns and evidence that Rufai was allegedly involved in numerous other fraud schemes.

Records showed that he deposited $288,825 into his bank and face up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

“This is the first, but will not be the last, significant arrest in our ongoing investigation of ESD fraud,” said Tessa Gorman, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, in a statement Monday.

https://www.thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2021/05/18/how-abidemi-rufai-ogun-governors-aide-was-arrested-for-350000-fraud-in-us/

Senior yahooman.....

Set awon Invictus, Hushpuppi and Mompha

These useless internet fraudsters, after succeeding in defrauding their victims, they'll start flaunting their ill-gotten wealth on the faces of legitimate hustlers and also blasting to the foolish Bella Shrmuda's "Vision 2020" song.


I always feel excited seeing these fraudsters being thrown into jail.... And I pray they teach this Dapo Abiodun's aide a very bitter lesson like the way Hush Puppy is being taught.

Even in times of Distress and pains, the little funds that people rely on are swindled!

When the Conscience is dead, you begin to perform evil and Wickedness with pleasure.

Seems the Nigerian political space is becoming a safe haven for Criminals.

You follow fire Benefits.....

he don be for u...

u dey run game u for stay Naija where dem fit frustrate judgment buh u carry ur mumu go dere go dey form boss...


This how to work shey EFCC dey learn work no be say u go dey go people house go break derr door like thief in the night....

Please

God will continue to disgrace them. They shall fall insha Allahu

Look at him bia bia !!!

government for the people

Afonjamism...
We go just wake-up one morning see say them done sell this country online.

Na so. It's just 30years sentence. He will be at the ripe age of 72 when he gets out. Not d end of the world

But I miss hush puppy sha

Nigga for don fire our naija celebs if not for prison.

Yahoo politicians

Na amosun ibikunle mentor am

They have carried their sophisticated crime abroad.

Hmmmmmmm

ENYIN OMO OODUA, SHEY E N GBO MI?

Our political (mis) leaders are just as evil as their counterparts in the North. All the assault and attempt on Igboho's life, from the burning of his house, to the assassination attempt on both the Ibadan highway and of recent his abode, as well as on his mom's are all orchestrated by the same beasts some of you say 'E ma bu awon baba wa, kini kan, kini kan...'

These (mis) leaders are beasts which is why they've been gambling with your lives ever since, allowing Fulani killers to make inroads into the south unabated, and as well as selling the gold, oil, tin and timber on our land to Chinese and British contractors. All of these (mis) leaders, including the kings, chiefs... to the highest stool... and all that rubbish are all in it. Or have you people forgotten so soon that it was the same useless kings that sold us off during the slave trade era? All of a sudden, some centuries later, you think they have your best interest at heart?

E ma tan ara nyin. These are hardened criminals. The rain of revolution will soon start and once it starts, you should already have them identified. the Revolution train NOW!!!

Yoruba with brains. Them dey like to use am for fraud.

Damit

And they took yahoo overseas.

Common sense dem nor get

Nigeria don cast mehn..

What a disgrace

Afonja

We will not accept this, Nigeria will not accept this
How could they arrest him for what? Does it mean that they dont know that that money is is to enable him bring back the families that are seeking refuge in Benin Republic.
I trust their presido, he will issue US a warning letter as he has issued Israel a warning letter against Palestinian

So Washington benefit update wey just comot don dey cast small small, soon Illinois and NewYork go cast

Omo make I go try my luck with better fullz and Washington drivers lisence from dark web hakas

Some eleribu Nigerians no fit Kuku make am for this life even when US government is dashing free benefit money , loans , unemployment benefits through social security welfare

FBI say Na taxpayers money... Ogun Kee FBI, Na stolen resources US looted around the world through war crimes


.

See the kind of aides Dapo is engaging. First one na rapist this one na Fraudster. He looks fraudster though.

Another Hushpuppi

APC people ,una good morning oo.



When the no 1 member of the party Scammed 200million peoples , this one is Just following the footstep of their Darling daddy

Many of the people ruling us are actually fraudsters using government to cover up. Very sad Indeed

Ewo One of Tinubu boys.. wahala dey for the frog eye man ooo.