9 Chinese Nationals Jailed for Crypto Fraud in Nigeria
A Nigerian court has sentenced nine Chinese citizens to one year in prison each for cryptocurrency fraud and cyber terrorism. The Federal High Court in Lagos gave the ruling on Thursday, June 5, 2025. The suspects had earlier pleaded “not guilty” when they first appeared in court but later changed their plea to “guilty.”
These men were among 792 people arrested by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in December 2024 for involvement in cryptocurrency scams and online romance fraud. The operation, called “Eagle Flush,” was the biggest single raid ever conducted by the EFCC.
The convicted individuals are:
Li Dong
Deng Wei Qiang
Huang Bo
Xiong Zhen
Lai Rui Feng
Zhao Xiao Hui
Lui Hai Rong
Lui Gang
Du Ji Feng
They were charged in February 2025 by the EFCC’s Lagos office with cyber terrorism and crypto fraud.
What Were Their Crimes?
The court found them guilty of conspiring to hack into computer systems to destabilize Nigeria’s economy and social structure. This is a serious crime under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act of 2015.
At first, all nine men denied the charges, leading the EFCC lawyers (Fanen Anum and Ahmed Yerima) to request a trial date. The defendants were kept in prison while their lawyers asked for time to prepare bail applications.
However, during the latest court session, the suspects changed their plea to “guilty.” The EFCC prosecutor, Nnaemeka Omewa, asked the judge to convict and sentence them immediately. The defense lawyers did not object.
Court’s Final Decision
Justice D.E. Osiagor ruled that each convict would serve one year in prison, starting from the day of their arrest (December 10, 2024). They were also fined ₦1 million each.
Additionally, the court ordered that after completing their jail term, they must be deported to China within seven days. All their seized items—mobile phones, computers, laptops, and internet routers—were forfeited to the Nigerian government.
Background: EFCC’s Major Crackdown on Fraud
In December 2024, the EFCC arrested 792 people in Lagos for cryptocurrency fraud and online romance scams. Among them were:
148 Chinese
40 Filipinos
2 Khazartans
1 Pakistani
1 Indonesian
The rest were Nigerians
The EFCC called this operation its “biggest single-day raid.”
The conviction of these nine Chinese nationals sends a strong message that Nigeria is serious about fighting cybercrime, especially in the crypto and online scam industry.
More Arrests by the EFCC
The agency has continued its crackdown on fraudsters. In March 2025, EFCC operatives raided a fake investment academy called Q University (also known as Q-Net) in Abuja. They arrested 133 suspects for running a Ponzi scheme—a scam where new investors’ money is used to pay fake profits to earlier investors.
The EFCC warned that such schemes trick young Nigerians with promises of unrealistic profits. The agency has vowed to keep fighting financial fraud, protecting the public from scams, and ensuring Nigeria’s economy grows safely.
