Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged 17 Chinese nationals and Genting International Co. Ltd. with alleged cryptocurrency fraud and cybercrimes. The defendants appeared before two judges at the Federal High Court in Lagos following a sweeping crackdown on cyber fraud.
The suspects were among 792 individuals arrested in the EFCC’s “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 10, 2024, a coordinated effort to dismantle cryptocurrency scams and identity theft rings. Prosecutors allege the group ran sophisticated schemes that defrauded victims of millions of dollars while destabilizing Nigeria’s financial system.
Court documents detail accusations of cyberterrorism, identity theft, and possession of fraudulent documents. The EFCC claims the accused exploited Nigerian youths as operatives for online scams, a growing concern amid the country’s battle against digital financial crimes.
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Arrests and Legal Proceedings
The case was split between two judges: Justice Musa Kakaki and Justice Daniel Osiagor. Wang Jie and Zeng Zerong were arraigned before Justice Kakaki, while the other 15 defendants, including Mao Bu Yi and Li Xiang Long, appeared before Justice Osiagor.
One of the charges alleges that Mao Bu Yi and Genting International Co. Ltd. accessed Nigerian computer systems with the intent to disrupt the nation’s economy, an offense under the Cybercrimes Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024). Another charge claims Wang Jie, also known as Xu Zhong Xiang, employed Nigerian youths for large-scale identity theft and digital fraud.
All defendants pleaded not guilty. The court ordered their remand in correctional facilities, with trial dates set for March 20 and June 11, 2025.
Nigeria’s Widening Crackdown on Crypto Fraud
A day before this arraignment, the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the EFCC charged 18 additional Chinese nationals for similar offenses. The accused, including Huang Bo and Lai Rui Feng, were part of the Eagle Flush Operation, which targeted global syndicates using crypto scams and digital fraud to siphon funds from Nigerian and international victims.
The charges include cyberterrorism, identity theft, and conspiracy to manipulate financial systems, with one claim stating the accused worked with an at-large suspect, A. Dao, to infiltrate Nigeria’s economic framework.
Justice Osiagor set May 5, 2025, as the trial date, with all defendants remanded in custody. The EFCC has reiterated its commitment to dismantling cyber fraud networks and protecting Nigeria’s digital economy from foreign and local exploitation.
