Seven Chinese nationals have been convicted and sentenced to one year in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos for their involvement in cyberterrorism and internet fraud linked to a large-scale Ponzi scheme uncovered in December 2024.
The convicts — Peng Li Huan, Zhang Jin Rong, He Kun, Rachelle Cabalona, Caselyn Pionela, Guo Long Long, and Zhang Hua Zhai — were arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following a massive raid on a premises located along Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos, where over 700 suspects were apprehended.
They were separately arraigned before Justices Ayokunle Faji, Chukwujekwu Aneke, and Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on amended one-count charges bordering on cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
According to the EFCC prosecutors — Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, Chineye Okezie, and Banjo Temitope — the defendants entered into plea bargain agreements, which were submitted to the court on June 20, 2025.
During the court proceedings, each of the defendants pleaded guilty and confirmed that the plea deals were entered voluntarily. Following their admission of guilt, the judges sentenced each convict to one year in prison with an option of a fine of ₦1 million.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service to deport all seven convicts to their respective home countries within seven days of completing their prison terms.
The charge against them read that the individuals, in December 2024, “willfully accessed computer systems organized to destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria by recruiting Nigerian youths to commit identity theft and impersonate foreign nationals for financial gain.”
The offence contravenes Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.