Court Remands Gov Abiodun’s Aide, Abidemi Rufai, Over $650 Million Job Scam

A federal judge in the United States has thrown out a bail application filed by Abidemi Rufai, the embattled aide of governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, who’s been araigned in state of Washington over charges bordering on unemployment scam.

Rufai, a long time ally of Abiodun, was relieved of his appointment by the governor in May after stories of his unscrupulous and fraudulent practices came to public knowledge.

He was arrested in the United States for allegedly stealing more than $350,000 in jobless benefits as part of Washington state’s $650 million unemployment fraud.

A federal judge ruled on Friday that Rufai “will remain in jail until his trial,” GreenWhiteGreen gathered.

U.S. District Judge, Benjamin Settle of Tacoma, had agreed with federal prosecutors that the suspect represented a flight risk and had on Friday overturned an earlier order granting him pretrial bail.

On May 21, a New York court held that Rufai could be released before trial on a $300,000 “surety” bond, but the federal judge delayed the release for federal prosecutors appeal.

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But on Friday, Settle averred that Abidemi Rufai “poses a serious risk of nonappearance.”

The judge was said to have ordered that Rufai, who is detained in New York, should be transported by federal marshals to Washington for trial, which is slated for August 31.

A Tacoma Attorney, Lance Hester, who is one of Rufai’s lawyers, had said his client could ask the court to reconsider the ruling if there were changes in his circumstances.

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