EFCC arraigns 13 Chinese nationals For internet fraud, cybercrime

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Deinde Dipeolu Friday remanded 13 Chinese nationals over alleged impersonation, fraud and intent to destabilise Nigeria.

The judge remanded the defendants after they pleaded not guilty to the various charges filed against them.

The individuals facing prosecution include, Wang Zheng Ming, Li Yin Hui, Xiao Hong Will, Wang Jia QI (a.k.a Xiao Tian), Long Shao Ming (a.k.a You) and Zhang Xiao Lei.

Others are Liu San Hua, Chen Wenyuan (a.k.a Lee05mx20), Yang Sheng (Madison) and Rheeigh De La Vega (a.k.a Rheignalyn).

The defendants were among suspected fraudsters apprehended on December 10, 2024, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC at their hideout on No.7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, following intelligence report received by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

The EFCC’s legal team, led by Director of Legal Services, , Aso Peters, presented the charges, citing violations of Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).

After the charges were read to the defendants individually, they all pleaded not guilty, except Wang Zheng Ming who rejected the EFCC appointed lawyer and requested time to hire his own legal representation.

Following their not guilty plea, Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case to February 3, 14, and 21 for trial and ordered the defendants to be remanded at the Nigeria Correctional Centre.

While the two female defendants were remanded in Kirikiri female Correctional Centre, others were remanded in Ikoyi Correctional Centre.

One particular defendant, Liu San Hua, was accused of facilitating identity theft by hiring Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals, intending to gain financial advantage.

This act is said to have violated Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015.

Several of the charges include allegations of using fake identities online to defraud victims, training employees of Genting International Co. Limited in fraudulent practices, and other related offenses under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offenses Act, 2006.

According to EFCC the charges highlighted serious offenses aimed at undermining Nigeria’s security and financial integrity through cybercrime and fraudulent activities.

Some of the counts read “That you San Hua and Genting International Co. Limited sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize the constitutional structure of Nigeria (which prohibited 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 of the Cybercrime {Prohibition, Prevention, Ete] Act, 2015 [As Amended, 2024].

“That you Zhang Xiao Lei and Genting International Co. Limited sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize 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 os 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 of the Cybercrime [Prohibition, Prevention, Etc} Act, 2015 [As Amended, 2024].

“That you Wang Zhebg Feng (aka A. Feng) sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems used for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as Amended, 2024) and Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

“That you Luo Jia You (aka. You) sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Cour, 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 pari 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.