EFCC arraigns 11 Chinese, one Filipino for internet fraud in Lagos

Eric Patrick 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Lagos Zonal Directorate, on Friday, 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 suspects are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged  cryptocurrency investment and romance  fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos by operatives of the EFCC.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, and shared on its Facebook page on Friday.

 

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.

 

The suspects were arraigned on separate charges bordering on alleged  cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, possession of documents containing false pretence and identity theft, among others.

 

One of the count charge 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).”

 

Another count reads, "That you, LUO JIA YOU (AKA A. YOU) sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully gave false information to officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the course of investigation when you were being questioned for being part of a criminal syndicate group, specialized in Romance scam, crypto currency fraud, cyber terrorism amongst others; and in order to mislead them, you falsely represented your name as A. YOU and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 39(2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under Section 39(2) (b) of the same Act.”

 

They each pleaded “not guilty” to the offences when they were read to them. 

 

In view of their pleas,  prosecution counsel, L.P. Aso, M. K.Bashir, T. J .Banjo, N. K . Ukoha and B. Buhari-Bala, prayed  the court for trial dates and for the  defendants to be remanded in the appropriate Correctional facilities. 

 

Justice Dipeolu adjourned the matter till 7,  14 and 21 February, 2025 for trial and remanded the  defendants at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri Correctional Centres.