The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has deported 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme offences.
The Federal High Court in Lagos had sentenced the foreigners to one year imprisonment each after they entered plea bargain agreements with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court also imposed a fine of N1 million on each convict.
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A source at the EFCC, who is not permitted to discuss the issue with the media, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the first batch of deportees departed Lagos at 2:00 p.m. local time, while others are scheduled to leave on Monday and Tuesday.
The EFCC said the syndicate ran a large-scale cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme targeting victims abroad before it was dismantled in a joint operation.
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Following their conviction, the foreigners were handed over to the NIS for deportation.
An EFCC source said the chair of the commission, Ola Olukoyede, described the convictions and deportations as “a milestone in Nigeria’s fight against cybercrime.” He said the agency would intensify investigations, recover stolen funds, and restore national dignity in line with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-corruption agenda.
Convictions and forfeiture
The convictions followed the December 2024 raid on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, during which 759 persons were arrested, including Nigerians, Chinese, Arabs, and Filipinos.
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Recently, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of $222,729.86 worth of digital assets (USDT) traced to some of the convicted Chinese nationals.
The judge, Alexander Owoeye, ruling on an ex parte application filed by EFCC lawyer Zeenat Atiku on 18 July, held that the assets were proceeds of cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
Court documents showed that the syndicate operated through a Nigerian-registered company, Genting International Co. Limited, which maintained a Union Bank account that received over N2.26 billion between April and December 2024.
EFCC’s investigators revealed the funds flowed largely through cryptocurrency vendors.
Background
The December 2024 raid, considered one of Nigeria’s largest anti-cybercrime operations, led to the arrest of 792 suspects—comprising Nigerians, Chinese, Arab, and Filipino nationals.
They were arrested at a seven-storey building known as Big Leaf Building on No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed the development during a media briefing on 16 December 2024.
Mr Olukoyede, who was represented by Mr Uwujaren revealed that the syndicate had transformed the building—designed to appear as a legitimate corporate facility—into a hub for training Nigerians in romance and investment scams.
“The foreign nationals trained their Nigerian recruits to target victims online using fake identities across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram,” he said.
According to the EFCC, one floor alone housed 500 SIM cards from local telecom providers, while each Nigerian recruit was equipped with a desktop computer and mobile device.
They were provided with scripts, foreign phone numbers, and fake personas, primarily impersonating women to lure victims—mostly from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe—into romance scams or into investing through a fraudulent platform.
The EFCC explained that the Nigerian accomplices were selected based on their computer literacy, especially typing speed. Those who passed an initial test were subjected to a two-week induction on impersonation tactics.
“Once they established contact and built trust with victims, the foreign syndicate leaders would take over the scam and block their Nigerian collaborators from further access to the chats, keeping them in the dark about ongoing transactions,” he said.
The Nigerian accomplices were neither given employment letters nor paid through official corporate channels.
“They were paid in cash or via third-party accounts, and many never met the actual ringleaders,” Mr Olukoyede added.
EFCC said it was collaborating with international partners to trace other accomplices and determine the full scope of the fraud, including links to foreign criminal networks.
READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns company director for N13.8 billion Ponzi scheme fraud
He also stressed that contrary to popular belief, many large-scale scams traced to Nigeria are masterminded by foreign nationals exploiting the country’s global reputation.
“Foreigners are taking advantage of our unfortunate image to conceal their operations. But this operation proves that Nigeria will not remain a haven for international fraudsters,” he said.
Also speaking at the briefing, acting Zonal Director of the Lagos Directorate, Michael Wetkas, called for greater media support in the fight against economic and financial crimes.
Items recovered during the operation include desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, and vehicles.
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