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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Nigerian, two Chinese nationals, and their company before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegations of a multibillion-naira cybercrime scheme.
The defendants, Huang Haoyu, Friday Audu, An Hongxu, and their company, Gentting International Ltd., are facing a 12-count charge related to cybercrime.
The accused, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, were brought before Justice Daniel Osiagor. The prosecution, led by Bilikisu Buhari, alleged that the defendants committed the offenses in 2024 in Lagos. According to Ms. Buhari, the defendants conspired with one Dualiang Pan, who is currently at large, to carry out the cybercrime activities.
The prosecution further claimed that the defendants intentionally accessed computer systems designed to destabilize Nigeria’s economic structure. They allegedly recruited Nigerian youths to falsely pose as foreign nationals and engaged in fraudulent activities. Among the charges, the defendants were accused of procuring Chukwuemeka Okeke to retain $1.2 million in his cryptocurrency wallet, which they allegedly knew was linked to fraudulent transactions.
Additionally, the defendants were said to have enlisted Alhassan Garba and Ifesinaci Jacobs to hold $1.3 million in their crypto wallets, believed to be proceeds of crime. The EFCC also alleged that Gentting International Ltd. retained N3.4 billion in its Union Bank account, which was part of the illicit proceeds.
The prosecution further accused the defendants of transferring N106 million and N913 million to Dualiang Pan’s UBA account, among other transactions, all allegedly linked to fraudulent activities. The EFCC also revealed that the defendants engaged in illegal foreign exchange transactions with Alhassan Garba, amounting to the dollar equivalent of N1.1 billion, N962 million, and other sums, bypassing the official foreign exchange market authorized by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The charges against the defendants include violations of Section 29(2) of the Foreign Exchange Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 2004, as well as Sections 18 and 27 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Act 2015, and Sections 18(2)(d) and 21(c) of the Money Laundering Act 2021.
The court has adjourned the case until March 20 to hear the defendants’ bail applications. Meanwhile, Justice Osiagor ordered the defendants to remain in EFCC custody pending the bail hearing.
This case highlights the growing concern over cybercrime and illegal financial activities in Nigeria, as authorities intensify efforts to combat economic sabotage and protect the nation’s financial systems.
(NAN)