A Nigerian known as Abidemi Rufai, has been apprehended in the United States over $350, 000 COVID-19 unemployment benefits fraud. Rufai is a Senior Special Assistant to Executive Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun.
According to a statement issued by the United States Department of Justice, Rufai, was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport recently by federal agents as he allegedly made an attempt to leave the country. He appeared before a United States Federal court the day after his arrest on charges that the identities of over 100 Washington residents was used by him to steal over $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
While talking about the arrest, Tessa Gorman, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington said: “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. This is the first, but will not be the last, significant arrest in our ongoing investigation of ESD fraud.”
The United States Department of Justice in a statement disclosed the criminal complaint alleged that the stolen identities of over 100 Washington residents was used by Rufai to file fraudulent claims with ESD for pandemic-related unemployment benefits and he was able to cash out the proceeds using the accounts of his close relatives in New York and Jamaica.
Part of the statement read: ”Rufai also filed fraudulent unemployment claims in 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 account.
“Rufai caused the fraud proceeds to be paid out to online payment accounts such as ‘Green Dot’ accounts, or wired to bank accounts 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 account controlled by Rufai between March and August 2020.”
Investigators revealed that Rufai used little variations in email addresses in a Gmail account, which made it look like he was many people, to con fraud detection at ESD. Primarily, he uses Sandytangy5@gmail.com but he scatter periods in variations like san.dyta.ngy58@gmail.com and sa.ndyt.a.ngy58@gmail.com.
According to the investigators, Gmail addresses do not recognize periods, as such, any mail sent to the different addresses landed in Rufai’s inbox.
A federal judge issued a warrant to Gmail to allow investigators search his Gmail account in January. However, the investigation was successful as Rufai linked his Nigerian phone number to the account.
While reacting to his arrest, Donald Voiret, Special Agent in Charge FBI Seattle said: “Greed is a powerful motivator. Unfortunately, the greed alleged to this defendant affects all taxpayers. 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.”
The penalty for wire fraud is up to thirty years sentence when it borders on benefits paid in connection with a presidentially declared disaster or emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rufai is scheduled for a detention hearing on Wednesday, May 19.
