Three well-known Nigerian internet fraudsters, who have made headlines for their social media presence and political connections, are currently serving time together at a low-security prison in the United States. Bidemi Rufai, Ray ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, and Jacob Olalekan Ponle, also known as Mr Woodberry, are all housed at Fort Dix prison in Burlington County, New Jersey.
Bidemi Rufai, 46, was a close associate of Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State. He was arrested in May 2021 at JFK Airport by the FBI, led by Special Agent Heidi Hawkins. Rufai had been stealing identities of thousands of U.S. citizens to fraudulently claim COVID-19 benefits amounting to half a million dollars. He admitted to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, receiving a five-year prison sentence and an order to pay $604,000 in restitution. Rufai is scheduled for release on February 14, 2025.
Jacob Olalekan Ponle, 33, known as Mr Woodberry, was arrested with Hushpuppi in Dubai in June 2020. Convicted of fraud in July 2023, he was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison. The court also ordered him to return $8 million to his victims. Ponle, initially held at Danbury correctional center in Connecticut, is now at Fort Dix, with his release set for October 17, 2027. After serving his sentence, he will be deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Ray ‘Hushpuppi’ Abbas, 41, became infamous for showing off his extravagant lifestyle on Instagram before his arrest in Dubai. Extradited to the U.S. in 2020, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2022. Hushpuppi, who was moved from a facility near Los Angeles to Fort Dix, is expected to remain in prison until August 6, 2029.
