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The United States Department of Justice has written a letter to the United States Magistrate Judge in Eastern District of New York, Ramon Reyes, on why it is dangerous to release an aide to
The Acting U.S. Attorney, Tessa Gorma, in a letter obtained exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday said Mr Rufai presents an extreme risk of flight and “if he does escape to Nigeria, extradition will be extraordinarily difficult or impossible because of his ties to the Nigerian government.”
This newspaper reported that the suspect used to work as Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abiodun.
Breaking News | Breaking News Suspended Abiodun s aide ordered to remain in detention until trial by US court thestreetjournal.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thestreetjournal.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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A federal magistrate in New York has rejected the bail application of Abidemi Rufai, an aide to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.
Mr Rufai is currently enmeshed in a $350,000 COVID-19 unemployment fraud in the United States.
He was arraigned on Wednesday before Magistrate Ramon Reyes.
Mr Rufai’s lawyer, Michael Barrows of Garden City, New York, said the suspect’s brother, Alaba Rufai, who is listed in court records told the court Wednesday morning that he could not afford the $300,000 surety bond for his bail
As a result, Mr Reyes ruled that Mr Rufai should remain detention.
Mr Barrows told
Daily Post Nigeria
Published
DAILY POST learnt that Rufai was denied bail by a federal Magistrate Court sitting in New York.
The magistrate had ruled on Wednesday that Rufai, who was charged for his involvement in unemployment fraud in Washington State, cannot be released before his trial.
Rufai’s counsel, Michael Barrows of Garden City, New York, had urged the court to grant his client bail on self recognizance.
The lawyer had asked that he be released to the custody of his brother, one Alaba A. Rufai, who is an attorney in New York.
Abidemi Rufai had also agreed to electronic home monitoring and certain travel restrictions.
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Published 20 May 2021
A federal magistrate in New York ruled on Wednesday that Abidemi Rufai, a Senior Special Assistant to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, charged for $350,000 employment fraud in Washington cannot be released before his trial.
The 42-year-old was arrested on Friday evening on his way back to Nigeria at the John F Kennedy International Airport in New York based on criminal complaint.
He was subsequently charged with defrauding Washington State Employment Security Department of over $350,000.
Rufai made his initial appearance last Saturday in New York and he appeared for a detention hearing on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, he asked a federal court to release him to the custody of his brother, Alaba Rufai, who is an attorney in New York, according to federal prosecutors and Abidemi Rufai’s private attorney, Michael Barrows of Garden City, New York.