NewStats: 3,259,318 , 8,169,800 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 05:14 PM 4e2c5v

Anyone will notice that nobody is screaming tribalism in this case. This is a strong case for an independent Yoruba State.

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 .
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).

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

dederocs:

Change my mindset, lol...you people need to change this dumb mentality, that it is only when you go abroad you will make it, when most there, are being used as modern slaves. Am trying to encourage youths to stay here and develop the country, and you immigrants are encouraging them to leave, you need to change your mentality. Am living very good here, doing my businesses, I don't need to stay up all night, or cleaning an old woman ass, or standing 6hrs straight to get paid, as a security man. There is more to life than working and earning a few dollars. I employ labour here, am not a worker, I am a business owner.

Go and encourage the youths that were killed at the #EndSars protest to stay in Nigeria. If you are not willing to work either in Naija or abroad, you will be poor.

1Sharon:


Going to the US/Canada/US is a bit of a stretch for a sane environment.

So where should they go?

dederocs:

Only poor and struggling people in Nigeria, travel as illegal immigrants...nothing fancy about doing menial jobs etc...richest Nigerians live in Nigeria.

The rushers in Nigeria don’t live in Nigeria. They just give you that impression.

jared007:
I don't think it killed up to that number in Nigeria. 500k no be beans o. 500k and my grandmum swept it under the carpet?

Your grandmom was a child when it happened.

HigherEd:
1.4 Billion naira for 13 acres in Ota(18 million naira/plot). Extortionist gold diggers. Canaancity a recent acquisition was bought for 350,000/acre. This case is going no where.


The trial court instructed that the land be sold for 50,000 naira/plot but was upturned by Appeals court since Winners paid the same family 500,000 in 1998. So how do you go from 50k to 18M.

The court should get three independent surveyors and award their average recommendation to the claimants.

Court cannot tell you how much to sell your property. Make dem go tell apple to sell iphone Xmas Pro for N15,000 na.

tsephanyah:
MTN, has argued that it did not transfer absolute right of ownership of the SIM card to Okolie because it was a national asset, which cannot be personalised.

DSS arrested okalie because he tried to defraud people. He is lucky Hanan didn't filed lawsuit against him in the first place.

Okolie employed the services of female accomplices, who could speak Hausa to pretend to be the president’s daughter.

After spending 10 weeks in jail for allegedly using an MTN SIM card previously owned by President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Hanan, a security source has explained why Anthony Okolie was arrested by officers of the Department of State Security.

According to TheNation, the source said Okolie was arrested and jailed because he was using the number to defraud unsuspecting persons.

The source said Okolie decided to use it to make money for himself after realizing that the number was previously owned by Hanan due to the calls he was receiving.

In order to extort money from unsuspecting victims, Okolie was said to have employed the services of female accomplices, who could speak Hausa to pretend to be the president’s daughter.

Given the fact that 97% of your story here is false, I have some question for you.

Did Okorie steal the SIM card?
How did he come into possession of the SIM?
Why did DSS not arrest MTN director for allocating Buhari's daughter's SIM to someone else?
Is asking for help from people a crime?
Did anybody give him any money from the calls?
Why was he detained for 10 weeks when no crime took place?
If DSS think there was a crime, why did they let him go after 10 weeks?
What are the names of his "female accomplices who can speak hausa"?

WiLdFLame:
This is really bad. How can you overturn the voice of the people. I think Buhari is systematically destroying APC. That son of a bitch, I can easily see the background power play at work here . Gaining bayelsa would easily Give the south APC more war chest and influence. Tinubu where you Dey now ? This is more and more leaving the south APC to be at the mercy of the northern APC. Why would Tanko make Mary Odili a staunch Pro PDP head such judgement. Too bad Oshiomhole and the south party leaders slept on this.

Buhari, You son of a bitch
You are both a bad leader and a bad party man. Chai...we don suffer
The southern APC block has been betrayed!!!

The people were scammed by the APC candidates.

payperpost:


the are receiving fund from china okada maker to fight the government, they should be dealt with mercilessly

If you have proof for this BS you just typed, let's see it.

Police went to a place of business and tried to steal people goods? The ban was on use of commercial motorcycles and keke not on private businesses. This shithole keeps getting shiitier

pDudd:


Hahahahahahaha. Guy talk true jare. Na US I dey. Even illegal immigrants dey send money thru Western Union steady. So far as the recipient has a bank in the receiving country, that money can be sent thru Western Union.

When you ready to talk true, na then we fit help you

maybe him no wnt make bank or agent chop from the money or he needs dollars for a specific reason.

abiolap89:
He his a citizen of that country nd he can't use western union cause he has no domincilary nd besides he wanted to deliver goods to me so used d opportunity to stash the cash in there

Get a lawyer and go to the customs office. You have not broken any law.

The Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 makes it illegal for any individual to accept or make any cash payment that exceeds N5m (Five Million Naira). This means that every cash transaction over N5m must be done via a financial institution.

Any person found guilty of contravening this is liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than 3 years or a fine of N10m (Ten Million Naira) or to both.

The limit is any money exceeding N 5m. You money is not up to 5 m.

Skyfornia:
Yes nah...she should even be the number 1 marlian...everybody that smokes Igbo and other hard substances belong to the group.

Modified: For those of you quoting me, I have counted up to 10 people in my area who identified themselves as marlians and all of them dey smoke Igbo. And for those that doesn't know Asa well...she smokes Weird MC sef.

Continue to wallow in your ignorance. Saner countriesnare already making marijuana a legal substance for recreational use.

Jubal01:
This is a good development. Let everybody stay and develop his/her country. Enough of this shameful acts by the thieves we have call leaders.

This Crab Mentality is why Nigeria will never develop in your life time.

Wickedtruths:




I know this guy personally, his name is Bisi. He has been doing this nonsense since I was in the University. Meanwhile, I graduated close to a decade ago.

Do you know that the story of Prof. Akindele of OAU that was disgraced was mentioned in an online blog, about 5 years before he finally got nailed?

Students are learning to speak up die to the advent of social media and the increased protection of victims of sexual harassment. This guy won't escape.

I knew Bisi when he first got the lecturing job. We lived on the same floor in PG Hall. He appears to be very friendly. But I will not put this beyond him. Nigeria is a very oppressive society and our universities especially Ife is a microcosm of oppression. Anybody with an ounce of power wants to oppress the other. This is the reality of Nigeria.

If found guity, he should face the music.

samorobo:


Lay low in poverty while people are escaping their rathole to mansions.....

Just because it hasn't worked for you doesn't mean it hasn't worked for others..

If it has worked for you, you won't be on nairaland justifying the contraption called Nigeria.

seunmsg:
He wasted 21 years of his life. If he had returned home, there is a possibility he would made something significant of his life during that period.

Opportunities abounds everywhere in Nigeria and people are making it big all over the country. Anyway, congratulations to him for finally getting the “leave to remain” in the UK. At least, he can start life all over again at 55. We never can tell what he can achieve before 70.

Where are people making it big all over the country? Abeg show me the place. Where are the opportunities? Or you mean opportunity to commit suicide?

Why not? It's very possible if you move out of Nigeria.

IAmStrange:
Even though having that look and that hair on you shouldn't be enough to label you a criminal, in really sane societies (not societies that people think is sane), you shouldn't be having that look.

Like in the societies Imes has influenced..

First that look in and of itself is irresponsible..

Secondly, it is not appropriate for soneone who stands as being part of a force that curbs people's excesses and irresponsible acts in the society to be having that look.

If you are cleanser, then you yourself should look clean.. If you want to rid a society of corruption, then you should be corrupt free.. you may make mistakes sometimes of which no human is free but generally, you should be corrupt free.

If you want to en good and forbid evil, then people who look at you should see positive examples.

if it were to be in the society influenced by Imes, you will not be having that type of hair and be a policeman. I trust my Imes.. . It will never happen!!!

Imes is the end of days, the days when nonsense like this will be accepted without shame and he is the beginning of new days when nonsense like this will be frowned upon

Imes, we await your coming

This one is a total slave. Where did you learn idea of sane society from?

OruExpress:


2. In the US, the only people that make large purchases without credit or lawyers, are criminals. This is what the US regulatory agencies believe. If you spend more than $10,000 without borrowing, the Internal Revenue Services will be notified. They will then inquire into your earnings, your spending habits, and your source of income. If these things don't match up with the ability to make a $10,000 purchase, you will be questioned and audited. During the audit, you will have to prove how you were able to spend that type of money in one go. This applies to any and everyone. Anyone that's able to spend more then $10,000 at once almost always hires lawyers and Financial Advisers certified by an accredited board. This 'financial team' answers audits and fights authorities and investigations while you spend you money as you wish.

If you look at every major company in the US, they have entire offices and buildings dedicated to staffing lawyers and auditors because they're under investigation 24/7. Even small businesses (business that make under $1 million USD annually) have advisors and lawyers dedicated to making it possible for them to make necessary large purposes.

It is obvious that their economic system is designed to keep people enslaved for life. Imagine a person earning $5000 per month after taxes will still be audited if he/she makes a purchase of $10,000 or more. The system don't expect people to save money? What is wrong in saving 2 month salary every year?

Tor browser is just what it is. A browser. IP Vanish is a VPN used to protect your data from being stolen by malicious websites. No part of the constitution says that you cannot visit certain websites. All these should not hold water in a sane country.

Efcc need to provide evidence that he actually used the credit cards to buy something. With receipt and all. Bit na naija court. Wetin I know?

Racoon:
Tyranny have come to stay.Nigeria was warned but parochial sentiments beclouded our sense of sound judgement.

Meanwhile;
https://www.timesng.com/features-and-interviews/164766-jonathan-is-the-worst-nigerian-leader-ever-sowore-sahara-reporters-publisher.html

How did GEJ know APC was seducing Nigerians with empty promises? That man was a prophet.

hisexcellency34:
Is Reno not a pastor too? Hypocrites everywhere. its time for Adeboye to speak out. His silence because of Osinbajo is evil

Has Reno not been speaking out about insecurity in Nigeria? Say you dey Buhari no mean say make you turn zombie na

hisexcellency34:
See her bresses like two deflated back tyres of keke napep

Shut up diane! Tiwa na almost 40 year old woman. Show us your mama pix with no bra. Deflated back tires keel you dia!

LearnITsmash:
Who is this looser laughing with, don't go and train, keep smiling until ruiz destroys your soul in the next fight

The money wey him make for that loosing big all the money wey your generation don ever make

benuejosh:
An allegation of Rape was labelled against Joseph by Portiphars wife. She even presented an exhibit which was Joseph's shirt. Nobody believed Joseph. He was jailed.
But God knew Joseph was innocent!
WE ARE HERE TODAY.

Was king David adultery an allegation too? You are not born stupid. You acquired stupidity.

When you tell them not to have sex in the car, they won't listen

AmazonTopaz:
Silly girl.You wan bite the hand wey dey feed you
You go tell your daddy make him wash him plate and the man is still responsible for you and paying your school fees. You nor try at all the least you can do for someone taking care of you is to do things that would make such person happy not challenge them.

What does he mean by this? If the woman is also working nkor her husband should not assist her in the home front. While so self centered you want a wife who would be an asset and help you provide yet you cannot help her domestically

Ogbeni, this is your father that is shelling out thousands of British Pounds oo. Even the food is from his money. The sense of entitlement in this generation is high.

cr7lomo:



U are mentally unstable...so we should promote fraud and those that are against it are haters?? I don't get u...is it how celebs in Yankee promote drug sales?? U know the meaning of influencing a nation negatively...don't u know it can destroy a nation entirely...so y should a white man b defrauded, does he deserve it...y can't the yahoo boys defraud ganduje, tinubu Amaechi and their likes and we will celebrate them as the modern robin hood...

Over 80% of rappers in the US rap and talk about dealing drugs. You don't just arrest people because they said something. You must be able to prove it beyond reasonable doubt.

These boys arrested in Nigeria only said Yahoo is good and now they are arrested. Instead of the lazy police force to do their homework and get proof, they will rather arrest you and hope you will do their work for them and give them proof.

Yankiss:
Nobody is above the law. Naira Marley or whatever he calls himself should be a role model to the youths. But he has sympathy for yahoo yahoo boys probably because he is one of them. Covering up with music isn't the point. If found culpable he should be made to visit Kirikiri for some term and made to refund any money proven to have been swindled. But, of course, here being Nigeria, no bigman ever gets convicted. Let's see what EFCC does in the long run.

If their parents can't be role models to them, why saddle another person with that task?