A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced 18 foreign nationals to one year’s imprisonment each for cybercrime, fraud, impersonation, and attempting to undermine Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
The convicts, who initially maintained their not guilty pleas, altered their statements under a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justices Chukwujekwu Aneke and Yellim Bogoro issued their rulings in two separate judgments.
The individuals convicted were part of a larger group of 193 foreign nationals apprehended by EFCC operatives in December 2024 at a seven-storey building on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. A total of 792 suspects were arrested in connection with a global cybercrime and cryptocurrency fraud syndicate.
Justice Aneke handed down sentences to six defendants—Eliza Gapparova, Diana Kadyrbekova, Nasrine Chouaieb, Jiang Han Hua, Liao Zhang, and Genting International Co. Limited—on charges including cyberterrorism, identity theft, and the exploitation of Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals for financial gain.
These convictions were the result of a plea bargain agreement negotiated between the prosecution, led by Zeinat Atiku, and defence attorneys Osuala Nwafbara, Z.S. Makinde, and Peter Taiwo.
The court’s decision followed arguments presented by prosecution counsel Hanatu Kofanaisa and Temitope Banjo, while Bridget Omateno represented the defence.
The EFCC reported that the convicts were part of an international syndicate operating a fraudulent network referred to as “HK”.
The operation was said to involve more than 1,500 laptops and 4,000 mobile phones, training both Nigerian and foreign youths in romance and investment scams aimed at victims in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Genting International Company Limited, allegedly run by the syndicate’s leaders, was established in mid-2024 and employed 200 Chinese nationals tasked with recruiting and supervising Nigerian youths involved in these activities.
The EFCC informed the court that the suspects operated from a facility in Victoria Island, which was disguised as a corporate financial headquarters, and employed Nigerian VPNs to hide their operations.
The scams were conducted via platforms including WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and a fraudulent investment website, www.yooto.com, which charged victims fees beginning at $35.
One defendant’s account reportedly received over N3.4 billion in fraudulent proceeds.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the convicts were sentenced to one year in prison, with the sentence to be retroactively effective from their arrest on December 10, 2024.
They are also required to pay a fine of N1 million each. Following the completion of their sentences and the payment of fines, they will be deported within seven days.
The court further ordered the forfeiture of all mobile phones, laptops, and routers used in the commission of these crimes to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
