Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for cyber terrorism and internet fraud. The convicts were part of a syndicate of 792 suspected fraudsters arrested on December 19, 2024, during the EFCC’s “Eagle Flush Operation.”
Investigations revealed that Friday Audu incorporated Genting International Co. Ltd. under Haoyu’s directive to facilitate the fraudulent scheme. The defendants recruited Nigerian youths to pose as foreign nationals, deceiving victims through online platforms. They were arraigned on a seven-count charge involving cyber terrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering amounting to N3.4 billion and $2.56 million.
Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu initially pleaded not guilty but later ced their plea to guilty, while Audu maintained his not guilty plea. The prosecution requested maximum sentences and forfeiture of all recovered assets, including over 1,500 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 tables, 43 computers, a network server, generators, vehicles, and thousands of SIM cards from properties across Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
The court ruling underscores ongoing efforts by the EFCC to combat cybercrime, protect Nigerians from online fraud, and dismantle sophisticated international fraud syndicates operating within the country.
Leave a comment