A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has sentenced seven Chinese nationals to one year imprisonment each for their roles in cyberterrorism and internet fraud tied to a sprawling 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) during a major operation on Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, where over 700 suspects were rounded up.
The foreign nationals were arraigned separately before Justices Ayokunle Faji, Chukwujekwu Aneke, and Yellim Bogoro on one-count charges bordering on cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
EFCC counsel, Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, told the court that the convicts entered into plea bargain agreements with the prosecution, all of which were filed on June 20, 2025.
Each defendant pleaded guilty and confirmed they willingly consented to the plea deals.
Consequently, the courts sentenced them to one year imprisonment with an option of a ₦1 million fine each.
In addition, the courts ordered that the convicts be deported by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) upon completing their jail terms.
According to the amended charge, the group “wilfully accessed computer systems organised to destabilise and destroy Nigeria’s economic and social structure by recruiting Nigerian youths for identity theft and impersonation of foreign nationals for financial gain.”
Their offence contravenes Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 (as amended), and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
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