The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned 17 Chinese nationals and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before two Federal High Court judges in Lagos on charges of alleged cryptocurrency fraud, cyber-terrorism, and identity theft. The arraignment took place on Friday, February 21, 2025.
The accused individuals, Mao Bu Yi, Li Xiang Long, Dai Li, Yu Hai Qing, Jia Yang, Jia Zhi, Hao Tao Kun, Liu Chuang, Zhao Xiao Liang, Ziao Zi Cheng, Zhang San Feng, Li Zhong Chan, Chen Gui Ping, Su Jan Fu, Su Zong Gen, Wang Jie (also known as Xu Zhong Xiang), and Zeng Zerong, were brought before Justice Musa Kakaki and Justice Daniel Osiagor. They are among 792 suspects arrested during the EFCC’s “Eagle Flush Operation” conducted on December 10, 2024.
According to the EFCC’s statement on its X (formerly Twitter) handle, the defendants face multiple charges ranging from cybercrime to possession of documents containing false pretenses. Specific allegations include using computer systems to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structures and employing Nigerian youths to carry out identity theft and other fraudulent activities.
One of the charges against Mao Bu Yi reads:
“That you, Mao Bu Yi and Genting International Co. Ltd., in December 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully accessed a computer system to destabilize and destroy the economy and social structure of Nigeria, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).”
Similarly, Wang Jie is accused of organizing schemes to destabilize Nigeria by recruiting locals for fraudulent activities. All defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Justice Kakaki adjourned the trial for Mao Bu Yi and Zeng Zerong to March 20, 2025. Meanwhile, Justice Osiagor set June 11, 2025, as the trial date for the remaining defendants. Both judges ordered that all suspects be remanded in a correctional facility pending their court appearances.
In a related development on Thursday, February 20, 2025, the EFCC also arraigned another group of 18 Chinese nationals before Justice Osiagor. These individuals face similar charges stemming from their alleged involvement in cybercrimes during the “Eagle Flush Operation.”
The “Eagle Flush Operation” was a large-scale crackdown by the EFCC targeting cryptocurrency investment scams and romance fraud schemes. The operation led to the arrest of hundreds of suspects accused of exploiting digital platforms to defraud victims globally.
The EFCC has reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting all individuals involved in cyber-related crimes as part of its broader efforts to combat financial fraud in Nigeria. The trials are expected to shed more light on the scope of these alleged crimes and their impact on Nigeria’s economy.
