Court Jails Two Chinese Nationals 46 Years Each For Cyber Terrorism, Fraud In Lagos

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for cyber terrorism and internet fraud.

Justice Daniel Osiagor on Wednesday convicts the two Chinese national who were among a syndicate of 792 suspected fraudsters arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) during a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” in Lagos on December 19, 2024.

The massive crackdown targeted a network allegedly involved in cryptocurrency scams, investment fraud and romance scams.

Also arraigned alongside the two Chinese nationals was one Friday Audu. While Haoyu and Hongxu changed their pleas to guilty, Audu maintained his plea of not guilty.

According to investigations, Audu allegedly incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. on the directive of Huang Haoyu to facilitate the fraudulent scheme.

The EFCC disclosed that the syndicate procured and employed Nigerian youths to falsely represent themselves as foreign nationals on online platforms in order to defraud unsuspecting victims.

Haoyu, Hongxu, Audu and Genting International Co. Ltd. were arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC on a seven-count charge bordering on cyber terrorism, internet fraud and money laundering involving N3,407,824,740.78 and $2,562,203.

One of the charges stated that the defendants, sometime in 2024 in Lagos, conspired to willfully cause to be accessed computer systems organised to seriously destabilise Nigeria’s economic and social structure, with intent to gain financial advantage, contrary to Section 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and punishable under Section 18 of the same Act.

The defendants had initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, at the resumed hearing on Wednesday, counsel to the first and third defendants, Bridget Omateno, informed the court that her clients wished to change their pleas.

When the charges were re-read, Haoyu and Hongxu pleaded guilty, while Audu insisted on facing trial.

Following their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel Bilikisu Bala-Buhari told the court that the prosecution had already called two witnesses before the change of plea. She urged the court to impose the maximum penalty of life imprisonment on counts one to three and 14 years’ imprisonment on counts four to seven.

Justice Osiagor subsequently convicted and sentenced the two Chinese nationals to 46 years’ imprisonment each.

The prosecution also sought and secured an order for the forfeiture of items recovered during investigations from four high-end properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The forfeited items include 1,596 mobile phones; 2,120 office chairs; 544 office tables; 194 routers; 43 computer systems; a network server; 126 air-conditioning units; several generators and vehicles; hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds; thousands of SIM cards across different networks; and other electronic devices and household items.

The properties raided by EFCC operatives are located at No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island; Plot 1220 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island; 54A A.J. Marinho Drive, Victoria Island; and No. 14A Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi.

A fourth suspect, Duliang Pan, remains at large. Audu’s trial is expected to continue.