The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday arraigned a group of individuals from the 792 alleged internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects apprehended last December in Lagos.
The suspects, including 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian, were arrested in a surprise crackdown dubbed the ‘Eagle Flush Operation.’ According to the EFCC, the foreign nationals were allegedly involved in orchestrating large-scale internet fraud schemes and recruiting Nigerian youths into illicit cyber activities.
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Those arraigned on Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos were 11 Chinese nationals, a Filipino, and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd.
A statement released by the EFCC via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle listed the defendants as: Wang Zheng Ming, Li Yin Hui, Xian Hong Will, Zhang Xiao Lei, Long Zhao Ming, Guo Xiao Fei, Yang Sheng, Wang Zheng Feng, Chen Wenyuan, Liu San Hua, Luo Jia You and Rheign Dela Vega.
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The commission arraigned them before trial judge D.I Dipeolu on separate charges of cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others.
They each pleaded “not guilty” to the charges read to them in court.
Following their not-guilty pleas, the prosecuting lawyers, L.P. Aso, M. K.Bashir, T. J. Banjo, N. K. Ukoha and B. Buhari-Bala, urged the court to pick trial dates and order the defendants’ remand in correctional facilities.
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Based on the request, the judge remanded the defendants at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Centres.
He fixed 7, 14 and 21 February for trial.
More details about charges
One of the defendants, Luo You, faces a charge of willfully giving false information to EFCC officers during investigation.
The anti-graft agency accused him of trying to mislead its investigators by falsely representing himself as A. You, on 18 December 2024, during questioning about his membership of “a criminal syndicate specialised in Romance scam, crypto currency fraud, cyber terrorism amongst others.” EFCC said the offence is contrary to section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.
Another of the defendants, Long Ming, also known as Ling Yang, was charged with being in possession of false documents falsely identifying her as ‘Linda Maureen’, a citizen of the United States of America. The EFCC said she knew these details to be false but obtained the false document with intent to defraud, an act the commission said constituted an offence under section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other fraud related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
Also, the EFCC charged Li Hui and the company Genting International Co. Limited with you procuring, and employing Nigerian youths for identity theft and pretending to be foreigners with the intent to defraud. EFCC said the defendants recruited the Nigerians to access computer systems “to seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes.” The prosecution said the offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
Penalties for offences
Section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 criminalises and provides punishment for act Luo You was charged with.
The provision states that any person who knowingly makes or causes another person to make a false statement, or a statement intended to mislead, to an officer of the Commission or any other public officer in the course of their duties, commits an offence. Upon conviction, such an individual is liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand naira or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both.
Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other fraud related Offences Act, of the Act under which Long Ming was charged, criminalises the possession of any document containing false pretences. If an individual is found with such a document and knows or ought to know, given the circumstances, that it contains false pretences, they are deemed to have committed an attempt to perpetrate an offense under the Act.
On the other hand, section 1(3) of the Act specifies the penalties for such offenses. An individual convicted under this section is liable to imprisonment for a term ranging from a minimum of 7 years to a maximum of 20 years, without the option of a fine.
Li Hui and the company Genting International Co. Limited were charged under section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
Section 18 (1) of the Act criminalises acts that involve the use of computer systems or networks to commit, facilitate, or promote terrorist activities and provides life imprisonment as penalty on conviction.
Section 27 stipulates that individuals who attempt to commit, conspire to commit, or assist others in committing offences outlined in the Act are subject to the same penalties as the principal offenders. This includes employees of financial institutions or other organizations who collaborate with others to perpetrate fraud or other cyber offenses using computer systems or networks. The section provides a punishment of two years’ imprisonment, a fine not more than N5 million fine or both on conviction.
Background
Dubbed the largest cybercrime syndicate, EFCC, on 10 December 2024, arrested a group of 792 suspects including Nigerians, Chinese, Arab and Filipino nationals involved in alleged cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams.
READ ALSO: Court orders ex-NHIS boss Yusuf’s remand in EFCC custody, reschedules arraignment
Briefing journalists about the operation on 16 December, EFCC Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, said operatives arrested the suspects in a “surprise operation” at their hideout at a seven-storey building known as Bigleaf on 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Mr Uwujaren said the arrest came after months of surveillance by the EFCC..
“Investigation established that the foreign nationals use the facility at 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, which could be mistaken for a corporate headquarters of a financial establishment to train their Nigerian accomplices on how to initiate romance and investment scams and also use the identities of Nigerians to perpetrate their criminal activities,” he said.
He added that Nigerians were recruited by foreign nationals to scout for victims online, targeting Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and several others from European countries.
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