EFCC arraigns 11 Chinese language, alleges plot to destabilise Nigeria



EFCC arraigns 11 Chinese language, alleges plot to destabilise Nigeria

The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee, on Tuesday, arraigned 11 Chinese language nationals over allegations of cyber fraud, id robbery, and an effort to destabilise Nigeria’s constitutional construction.

The defendants had been arraigned prior to the Federal Prime Courtroom in Lagos. They pleaded no longer responsible to the costs.

The advance comes just a moment next the anti-graft company arraigned 42 Chinese language and Filipinos for homogeneous offences prior to the similar Federal Prime Courtroom in Lagos.

In keeping with the EFCC, the international nationals had been arrested right through a raid tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” carried out on December 19, 2024, in Lagos.

Following their not-guilty plea, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke ordered that they be remanded on the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos.

The defendants  are Wang Xiong Wei (alias Xiao Bai), Chen Dong Dong (alias Cun Zhao), Chen Yuan (alias Xiao Doa), Wu Yuan An (alias Zeng Niu), Wang Gong Lin (alias Wang Jing Lin), and Weng Mao Rong (alais A Xiang).

They had been arraigned on sovereign fees when it comes to cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, ownership of fraudulent paperwork, and id robbery.

In keeping with the EFCC, the defendants allegedly recruited Nigerian yongsters for id robbery and alternative cyber fraud schemes.

Moreover, 5 alternative Chinese language nationals, Liu Ke Fan (alias Lina, Lui Chen), Huang Hai Tao, Zhang Jian Feng, Wu A Wang, and Xiao Xin, had been charged prior to the court docket.

In probably the most fees, the EFCC accused Liu Ke Fan of impersonating a 28-year-old American named Lina, residing in Germany, as a part of a romance rip-off and cryptocurrency fraud operation.

Prosecutors alleged that during December 2024, Liu Ke Fan, “with intent to gain advantage for himself and members of his criminal syndicate group, fraudulently impersonated a U.S. citizen using a fake profile on his company’s Maya desktop computer.”

The EFCC additional advised the court docket that the defendant “willfully provided false information during an investigation, falsely presenting himself as Liu Chen to mislead investigators and conceal his involvement in a criminal syndicate specializing in romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and cyberterrorism.”

In keeping with the anti-graft company, the defendants belong to a syndicate of 792 folks in demand in cryptocurrency funding fraud and romance scams.

The defendants had been arrested on December 19, 2024, in Lagos right through a awe operation codenamed “Eagle Flush Operation” carried out by means of EFCC operatives.

EFCC prosecutors, M.Ok. Bashir and R.A. Abdulrasheed, knowledgeable the court docket that on or about December 18, 2024, the accused individuals “willfully accessed computer systems with the intent to destabilise Nigeria’s constitutional structure by procuring and employing Nigerian youths for identity theft, falsely representing them as foreign nationals to gain financial advantage.”

The fee additionally accused them of “willfully providing false information to EFCC officers during investigations into their alleged cyber fraud activities.”

The EFCC said that their movements violate Divisions 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, And so on.) Operate, 2015 (as amended in 2024), and Division 39(2) of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee (Status quo) Operate, 2004.

Then listening to the costs, the defendants pleaded no longer responsible.

Following their pleas, Justice Aneke ordered their remand on the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending trial.

The court docket adjourned the case to February 21 and March 7, 2025.

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