A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday handed down one-year prison sentences to seven Chinese nationals after convicting them of cyberterrorism and internet fraud offenses tied to a major Ponzi scheme that was uncovered by Nigerian authorities in December 2024.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had brought charges against the accused, who were arraigned before three separate judges—Justices Ayokunle Faji, Chukwujekwu Aneke, and Yellim Bogoro—at the Federal High Court in Lagos. Representing the EFCC in court were prosecutors Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, Chineye Okezie, and Banjo Temitope.
During the court proceedings, the prosecution informed the judges that each of the defendants had entered into a plea bargain with the Commission. These agreements, which were filed on June 20, 2025, outlined the terms under which the accused agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a more lenient sentence. When the charges were read in court, all seven individuals confirmed their guilt and acknowledged that they had willingly accepted the plea terms without coercion.
The court accepted the plea bargains and sentenced each convict to one year of imprisonment. In addition to the jail term, they were each fined N1,000,000 (One Million Naira). Justice also extended beyond their incarceration: the court directed the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to ensure the deportation of all seven convicts within seven days of completing their sentences.
The convicted individuals—Peng Li Huan, Zhang Jin Rong, He Kun, Rachelle Cabalona, Caselyn Pionela, Guo Long Long, and Zhang Hua Zhai—were arrested following a high-profile raid conducted by EFCC operatives on a building located on Oyin Jolayemi Street in Lagos. The December 2024 operation led to the apprehension of over 700 suspects believed to be involved in various forms of online fraud and cybercrime.
The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC charged the defendants with separate counts under Nigeria’s cybercrime and terrorism laws. The charge read in court accused the group of “willfully accessing 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 actions of the accused were found to be in violation of 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. These laws are aimed at curbing rising threats from sophisticated cyber networks that exploit digital systems to undermine national security and economic stability.
The convictions mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s broader crackdown on cybercrime and digital fraud, and they underscore the growing international dimension of such offenses, as foreign nationals increasingly become entangled in illicit digital operations within the country.
What you should know
Seven Chinese nationals were convicted by a Lagos court for cyberterrorism and internet fraud linked to a Ponzi scheme. After entering plea bargains, they were each sentenced to one year in prison and fined N1 million, with deportation to follow. Their case stemmed from a December 2024 EFCC raid in Lagos that revealed a large-scale digital fraud network.
