The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned foreign nationals comprising 11 Chinese nationals, a Filipino, and a company, Genting International Company Limited from the 792 alleged internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects arrested last December in Lagos.
Penpushing reports that the suspects were arraigned on Friday before the Federal High Court in Lagos charged under legal provisions that attract punishments ranging from two years to life imprisonment.
The crimes commission in a statement released 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.
Penpushing further reports that the commission arraigned them before trial judge, Justice D.I Dipeolu on separate charges of cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others, but each pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them in court.
The prosecuting lawyers, L.P. Aso, M. K.Bashir, T. J. Banjo, N. K. Ukoha and B. Buhari-Bala, following the accused not-guilty pleas urged the court to pick trial dates and order the defendants’ remand in correctional facilities.
Penpushing also reports following the request, the judge remanded the defendants at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Centres, and thereafter fixed 7, 14 and 21 February, 2025 for trial, however, one of the defendants, Luo You, faces a charge of willfully giving false information to crimes commission officers during investigation.
The commission accused him of trying to mislead its investigators by falsely representing himself as A. You, on December 18, 2024, during questioning about his membership of a criminal syndicate specialised in Romance scam, crypto currency fraud, cyber terrorism amongst others.
Penpushing reports that the anti-graft agency in the statement explained that the offence is contrary to section 39(2) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section, while another defendant, 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 commission stated that 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.
Penpushing further reports that the commission in same vein, charged Li Hui and the company Genting International Company Limited with procuring, and employing Nigerian youths for identity theft and pretending to be foreigners with the intent to defraud.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (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.
Penpushing also reports that the prosecution stated that the offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024), while it is recalled that the commission in a surprise crackdown dubbed the ‘Eagle Flush Operation arrested .148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said 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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