US Authorities Sell Luxury Wristwatch, Necklace Seized From Jailed Nigerian Official

Authorities in the US have auctioned off a fancy wristwatch and a necklace confiscated from Abidemi Rufai, a former Ogun State official who served a prison sentence in the United States.

On September 26, 2022, the United States District Court for Western Tacoma in Washington sentenced Abidemi Rufai to prison for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

He sought to steal roughly $2.4 million from the US government using stolen identities, including $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment payments, according to court filings.

Mr Rufai, who pled guilty to the allegations, was successful in cheating 12 US agencies out of $600,000 put into bank accounts controlled by him.

According to his plea deal with the prosecution, Mr Rufai promised to pay the defrauded agencies the full restitution of $604,260.

The United States government has recently sold two precious things seized from him during his arrest: a Cartier watch and a gold chain necklace.

“The Judgment entered in this case directed the United States to sell in a commercially reasonable manner a Cartier watch and a gold chain necklace that it seized from Defendant Abidemi Rufai during his arrest and apply the net proceeds to Defendant’s $604,460 judgment debt,” Nicholas Brown, a U.S. Attorney, said in a court filing.

“The United States sold the watch and necklace via online auction through Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers, Appraisers, and Realty. The winning bids for the watch and necklace were $4,720.00 and $3,160.00, respectively.

“After payment of $64.41 shipping expenses and $728.90 (9.25 per cent) sales commission, the net proceeds were $7,086.69.

“As instructed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gaston & Sheehan sent the net proceeds to the Clerk of this Court via cheque. The Clerk received and processed the payment on December 20, 2022, applying $200.00 to Defendant’s special assessment and $6,886.69 to his restitution balance.”

After deducting that amount from his restitution payment, Abidemi Rufai owes the US government $597,573.31.

The former Ogun State official was freed from prison in mid-November 2024, but his whereabouts are unknown.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli