Abidemi Rufai, an associate of Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, has been released from prison in the United States, Peoples Gazette reports.
Mr. Rufai, 47, was freed from custody at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on November 15, 2024, according to correctional records. Following his release, he is expected to be deported to Nigeria as outlined in his guilty plea agreement. His Nigerian passport was returned to him on October 21, 2024, after he successfully filed a motion for a reduced sentence.
In 2022, Mr. Rufai pleaded guilty to charges of tax fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of his plea deal, he waived his right to contest deportation after serving his prison term. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison on two counts of fraud, with the sentences running concurrently. Federal prosecutors presented extensive evidence, including over 100,000 pages of documents, in a Tacoma, Washington, court.
Originally slated for release on February 14, 2025, Mr. Rufai’s sentence was shortened after a judge approved his motion for early release under revised sentencing guidelines. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons waived the remaining three months of his term.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mr. Rufai was ordered to pay $607,000 in restitution to various U.S. government agencies. In Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured a court order to seize his mansion in Lekki, Lagos, and freeze his bank accounts due to ongoing fraud charges.
Mr. Rufai, known by the alias “Elele Ruffy,” had a reputation as a key figure in Internet fraud schemes in Lagos and Ogun States before extending his criminal activities to the United States, where he was eventually apprehended.
While in prison, he shared the same facility as other infamous Internet fraudsters, including Ramon ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas and Jacob Olalekan Ponle (also known as Mr. Woodberry), both of whom are still serving lengthy sentences.
It remains unclear whether Mr. Rufai will resume his role as an aide to Governor Abiodun. The governor himself faced fraud allegations in Florida over 30 years ago, though details of his punishment remain ambiguous.
