In a landmark cybercrime case, the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted and sentenced 15 foreign nationals to one year in prison each for involvement in cyber-terrorism and internet fraud. The judgments were delivered separately by Justice Yellin Bogoro and Justice Alexander Owoeye.
The convicted individuals include 11 Filipinos, 2 Chinese, 1 Malaysian, and 1 Indonesian, all of whom pleaded guilty to charges filed by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Those sentenced are:
- Winnie De Jesus, Kayceelynn Remorin, Irish Chna, Darwisa Esmael, Kimberly Nisperos, Savien Cire Renovilla, Zeng Zerong, and Guo Bin
- Jessa Sanchi, Jhena Sarmiento, Rain Torida, Rex Jose Dilag (aka Madison), Tan Soon Kar, Fernando Fu Fang, and Beverlyin Gumayo (aka Veb Sumayo)
These individuals were arraigned on separate counts for possession of fraudulent documents, identity theft, and attempts to destabilize Nigeria’s socio-economic systems through advanced cyber operations.
According to one charge, Winnie De Jesus, alongside Genting International Co. Ltd, was accused of orchestrating cyberattacks in December 2024, which included recruiting Nigerian youths for identity theft and posing as foreign nationals to commit fraud.
Another count against Kayceelynn Remorin alleged that she impersonated a woman named Anastacia Lim in order to gain financial advantage for her employer, a violation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015 and its 2024 amendment.
Following their guilty pleas, EFCC prosecutors N.K. Ukoha, T. J. Banjo, and N. C. Mutfwang urged the court to convict the defendants based on plea bargains reached with the Commission.
The court handed each convict a 12-month jail sentence with an additional fine of ₦1 million. Furthermore, the presiding judges ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to repatriate all convicts to their home countries within seven days of completing their sentences.
All devices and digital tools used in the cybercrime operations were ordered to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, strengthening the state’s crackdown on digital financial crimes.
