EFCC arraigns 11 Chinese, Filipino in Lagos
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Lagos Zonal Directorate, has arraigned 11 Chinese, one Filipino and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants are part of a syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects, who were arrested on December 19, 2024, during a surprise operation dubbed “Eagle Flush Operation” carried out by EFCC operatives in Lagos.
The suspects according to a statement on Friday, by the anti-graft agency were charged on separate charges bordering on alleged cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others.
The defendants are: 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.
“They are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a surprise operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ by operatives of the EFCC.
“The suspects were arraigned on separate charges bordering on alleged cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others,” the statement reads partly.
One of the counts reads, “That you, LI YIN HUI and GENTING INTERNATIONAL CO. LIMITED, on or about the 18th of December 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer systems organised to seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes) when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
