Comfort Isaac
A total of eight Chinese nationals have been sentenced to one year jail over their involvement in Cyber terrorism and internet fraud by the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
The convicts include: Pan Cai Qi, Zeng Xian Tao, Weng Mao Rong, Wang Xiong Wei aka Xiao Bai, Shi Dong Fu, Wang Shi Long, Liu Ke Fan and Ting Liao.
They were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos State Directorate; the Commission’s Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale had revealed in a statement on Friday, July 4, 2025.
Oyewale said the convicts were among the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 19, 2024 in Lagos during a sting operation tagged ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ conducted by EFCC operatives.
He said when the charges were pressed against them in 2024 they initially pleaded not guilty but during Friday’s sitting, July 4, 2025, they changed to plead “guilty”. He noted that following their guilty plea, the prosecution counsel, M.K Bashir, prayed the court to convict them accordingly.
In his ruling, the Judge, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke convicted them to one year imprisonment, with a fine of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira), as well as the forfeiture of the items recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The Judge also ordered that upon completion of their sentences, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, should ensure that they are repatriated to their country of origin within seven days.
