Convicted 419 Aide Of Gov Abiodun Released From US Jail

After serving 60 months prison term in the United States of America, USA,  internet fraudster Abidemi Rufai has regained his freedom.

The felon was released on November 15 from the US prison, three months short of his five year prison sentence, according to Peoples Gazette.

The newspaper said  Rufai was released from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons’ custody in Fort Dix, New Jersey, on November 15, 2024, citing correctional correctional documents.

Hes’ now ready for deportation to Nigeria, the report said, after the US authority released his passport to him on October 21, 2024 aftre the motion he filed for his sentence to be reduced was approved by the government of that country.

Recall that Rufai had during his trial pleaded guilty to the charge of fraud, a situation that accelerated his trial, apart from getting his sentence reduced.

When he pleaded guilty to allegations of tax fraud and aggravated identity theft in 2022,  Rufai waived his rights to challenge deportation after serving out his jail sentence.

He was sentenced to 60 months in prison on two counts of fraud in 2022 after prosecutors presented a strong case of multimillion-dollar fraud backed with overwhelming evidence before a federal judge in Tacoma, Washington. The terms were scheduled to run concurrently.

Rufai, widely known as Elele Ruffy, was scheduled to be released on Valentine’s Day in 2025 but a judge approved his motion to be released earlier based on new sentencing guidelines, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons forwent the three months left of his sentence.

He was ordered to pay $607,000 in restitution to the U.S. government agencies across multiple states, and a Nigerian court ordered the seizure of his Lekki, Lagos Mansion in Lagos and bank accounts after the anti-graft office EFCC filed fraud charges against him.

Rufai was widely known as a notorious Internet fraud ringleader in Lagos and Ogun for many years before he extended his fraudulent operations to the U.S., where he got nabbed.

Before his arrest and conviction three years ago, Rufai was one of the top aides of Governor Abiodun.