Almost two months after it announced the landmark arrest of 193 foreigners and 599 Nigerians in one fell swoop for offences related to Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Romance Scams, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has begun prosecuting some of those arrested.
At the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday, the Commission arraigned 13 Chinese nationals and a company, Genting International Co. Limited, before Justice Deinde Dipeolu.
Channels Television reports that another set of foreigners will be arraigned before other court judges on Monday.
At the proceedings, the EFCC’s legal team was led by Director of Legal Affairs, Larry Peters Aso, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala and two others, who presented the charges against the defendants, citing violations of Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).
Those charged are Wanq Jia Qi (also known as Xiao Tian), Wang Zheng Ming, Liyin Hui, Xiao Hong Will and Zhang Xiuo Lei.
The others are: Ling Yang (also known as Long Shao Ming), Guo Xiao Fei, Yang Sheng, Wang Zheng Feng (Also known as Feng), Chen Wenyuan, Liu Sau Hua, Luo Jia You (Also known as You) and Rheign Dela Vega (also known as Rheignal).
The 13 Chinese nationals who were arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Co were specifically alleged to have wilfully caused to be accessed, computer systems with the intent to destabilise the constitutional structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes).
They were also said to have procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain financial advantage, an offence said to be contrary to and punishable under Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition & Prevention Act, 2015 (As Amended)
With the aid of an interpreter, the charges were read to the defendants in Mandarin and they all pleaded not guilty.
One of them, Wang Zheng Ming rejected the EFCC-appointed lawyer and requested time to hire his legal representation.
Justice Dipeolu has adjourned the case to February 3, 7, 14, and 21 for trial. The judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in the Nigeria Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.
EFCC had on December 16, 2024 announced the landmark arrest of 792 suspects in one fell swoop for offences bordering on Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Romance Scam.
The EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwujaren who briefed journalists at the commission’s office in Lagos said, the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, in a surprise operation at their hideout, an imposing seven-storey edifice known as Big Leaf Building, on No.7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to him, “the breakthrough followed actionable intelligence and months of surveillance and monitoring the activities of the syndicate.Among the foreigners arrested are 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, two Kharzartans, one Pakistani, one Indonesian.”
“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.
“What is, however, clear from this arrest is that the notion that Nigerians are behind the tonnes of frauds emanating from our country is not correct.
“Foreigners are taking advantage of our nation’s unfortunate reputation as a haven of frauds to establish a foothold here to disguise their atrocious criminal enterprises.
“But, as this operation has shown, there will be no hiding places for criminals in Nigeria,” the EFCC concluded.
