Thursday, 27 May 2021: The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma has issued an order that Abidemi Rufai should remain in detention.

Rufai, who was an aide to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, is currently enmeshed in $350,000 COVID-19 unemployment fraud in the United States.

His bail was denied following a move by the government for “a stay of the release order.”

The United States District Judge, Benjamin Settle, has however, granted the government’s motion to stay release of Rufai.

According to a court document, “The release order is stayed, and the defendant shall remain in custody pending this Court’s decision on the government’s motion for review.”

CEOAFRICA had reported earlier that the United States Department of Justice raised the alarm that the surety provided by Rufai is a suspected fraudster.

The U.S. authorities said the surety provided, a nurse, Nekpen Soyemi, is a suspected fraudster and should not be allowed to stand surety for Rufai.

Earlier, when the suspect first appeared in court on May 19, he was denied bail because his brother, Alaba Rufai, who is listed in court records, could not post the $300,000 surety bond for his bail.

Recall that Rufai was arrested while trying to get out of the U.S. on May 14 after he allegedly used the identities of more than 100 Washington residents to steal more than $350,000 in unemployment benefits from the Washington State Employment Security Department, (ESD), during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.