US authorities have auctioned a luxury wristwatch and necklace seized from Abidemi Rufai, a former Ogun State official who was sentenced to prison in the United States.
Rufai was sentenced on 26 September 2022 by the United States District Court for Western Tacoma, Washington, after being convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He attempted to steal nearly $2.4 million from the US government, including around $500,000 in pandemic-related unemployment benefits, according to court documents.
Rufai, who pleaded guilty to the charges, successfully defrauded 12 US agencies of $600,000, which was deposited into bank accounts he controlled. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to repay the defrauded agencies a total of $604,260 in restitution.
As part of the recovery process, the US government sold two valuable items seized from Rufai during his arrest: a Cartier wristwatch 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,” said Nicholas Brown, a US Attorney, in a court filing.
The items were sold via an online auction through Gaston & Sheehan Auctioneers, Appraisers, and Realty, with the winning bids of $4,720 for the watch and $3,160 for the necklace. After deducting $64.41 for shipping and a 9.25% sales commission of $728.90, the net proceeds amounted to $7,086.69.
The proceeds were sent to the Clerk of the Court, with $200 applied to Rufai’s special assessment and $6,886.69 credited to his restitution balance.
After this payment, Rufai still owes the US government $597,573.31. He was released from prison in mid-November 2024, but his current whereabouts remain unknown.
