Two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, have been sentenced to 46 years’ imprisonment each by the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for offences bordering on cyber terrorism and internet fraud.
Justice Daniel Osiagor delivered the judgment on Wednesday after the duo changed their pleas to guilty during proceedings. They were among 792 suspected fraudsters arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a large-scale sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 19, 2024, in Lagos.
The operation targeted an alleged criminal syndicate involved in cryptocurrency fraud, fake investment schemes and romance scams.
Also charged in the case was Friday Audu, who maintained his not-guilty plea and opted to stand trial. Investigations revealed that Audu allegedly registered Genting International Co. Ltd. at the instruction of Huang Haoyu to facilitate the fraudulent operations.
According to the EFCC, the syndicate recruited Nigerian youths and directed them to impersonate foreign nationals online to defraud unsuspecting victims.
Haoyu, Hongxu, Audu and Genting International Co. Ltd. were arraigned by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 on a seven-count charge bordering on cyber terrorism, internet fraud and money laundering involving N3,407,824,740.78 and $2,562,203.
One of the charges stated that in 2024, the defendants conspired in Lagos to intentionally access computer systems in a manner aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s economic and social systems for financial gain, contrary to provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024).
Although all the defendants initially pleaded not guilty, counsel to the first and third defendants, Bridget Omateno, informed the court at the resumed hearing that her clients wished to change their pleas. Upon re-arraignment, Haoyu and Hongxu pleaded guilty, while Audu maintained his innocence.
Following the guilty pleas, prosecuting counsel Bilikisu Bala-Buhari urged the court to impose the maximum sentence of life imprisonment on counts one to three and 14 years on counts four to seven, noting that two witnesses had already testified before the change of plea.
Justice Osiagor subsequently sentenced the two Chinese nationals to 46 years in prison each.
The court also granted the prosecution’s request for the forfeiture of items recovered from four luxury properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Items forfeited include 1,596 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 office tables, 194 routers, 43 computer systems, a network server, 126 air-conditioning units, several generators and vehicles, hundreds of mattresses and bunk beds, thousands of SIM cards across multiple networks, and other electronic devices and household materials.
The affected properties are located at No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island; Plot 1220 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island; 54A A.J. Marinho Drive, Victoria Island; and No. 14A Modupe Alakija Crescent, Ikoyi.
Meanwhile, a fourth suspect, Duliang Pan, remains at large, while Audu’s trial is set to continue.
