The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has prosecuted 14 Filipinos, and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants are Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Jonalyn Mendoza, Dominique Medina, Rachelle Cabalona, Krystel Aquilesca and Caselyn Pionela.
Raizza Camara, Danica Silad, Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Sevien Cire Renovilla, and Rose-Ann Gonzales make up the 14 Filipinos.
According to EFCC, they are part of the 792-member syndicate of alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects, arrested on December 10, 2024 in Lagos by its operatives in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation”.
The anti-graft agency disclosed that the defendants were arraigned on separate charges, bordering on cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, impersonation, possession of documents containing false pretence, and identity theft.
The charge against Dela Cruz reads: “That you, Mary Grace Dela Cruz and Genting International Co. Ltd sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
“That you, Krystel Aquilesca, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for your employer fraudulently impersonated one ‘TETEEL’ by holding yourself out as such, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.” the charge against Aquilesca reads.
EFCC stated that they all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which prosecution counsel, M.K Bashir, N.K. Ukoha, and Bilkisu Buhari, prayed the court for trial dates and for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre.
“Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter till March 13, 2025 for trial, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre,” the Commission said.
