The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, arraigned 11 Chinese nationals before the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over allegations of cybercrime, romance scams, and security breaches
The defendants, alongside their company, Genting International Company Limited, were docked before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on separate charges.
The defendants included Li Niu, Xiao Qinyun, Fu Zheng Yang, Xiao Yi, Bei Bei Linde Jun, Li Hang, Huan Livo, Wang Wei Tong Mo Ying, Gao Yang, Zebin Chen, and Yuan Zhibin all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Court Remands 13 Chinese Nationals Over Alleged Cybercrime, Others
They are part of a 792-member syndicate allegedly involved in cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud, arrested in Lagos on December 10, 2024, during a surprise operation dubbed the ‘Eagle Flush Operation’.
The foreigners were arraigned on separate charges related to cyber-terrorism, cybercrimes, possession of documents containing false pretences, advance fee fraud, and identity theft.
Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel Ahmed Yerima, F.S. Mohammed, A.M. Dambuwq, and N.C. Mutfwang requested a trial date for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional facility.
Justice Aneke granted the order and then adjourned the matter until March 14 and 21, 2025, for the commencement of the trial.
One charge against Bei Bei Linde Jun states: “That you, BEI BEI LINDE JUN (female), an adult, and GENTING INTERNATIONAL CO. LIMITED, sometime between November 28, 2024, and December 10, 2024, at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with the intent to defraud, willfully accessed computer systems organised to destabilise the social and economic structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by secretly employing several Nigerian youths for identity theft and other computer-related fraud. You thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2015 (as amended).”
The charge against Li Niu reads: “That you, LI NIU, sometime in 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, were found in possession of documents in which you falsely represented yourself as ‘LISA’, claiming to be a female from Singapore. You knew or ought to have known that this representation was false, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 6 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.”
