Court sentences two Chinese directors to 92 years for cybercrime, money laundering

Lagos, Nigeria — A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals to a combined 92 years in prison for their roles in a multi-billion-naira cybercrime and money laundering syndicate, in what authorities say is a landmark judgment against transnational online fraud.
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‎Justice Daniel Osiagor on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, handed down 46-year terms to each of the defendants — Huang Haoyu, also known as Ken, and An Hongxu — who are directors of Genting International Co. Limited.
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‎The sentences come with an option to pay fines of ₦56 million each and include orders for three days of community service. After completing their prison terms and community service, the court ruled they are to be repatriated to China.
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‎The court’s ruling followed a dramatic shift in the trial on Wednesday, when the two men changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty on the seven-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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‎Prosecution counsel Bilkisu Bala-Buhari urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, noting that some of the offences carry potential life imprisonment under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
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‎The convicts were arrested in December 2024 as part of a major EFCC crackdown that saw 792 suspected internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects taken into custody in Lagos.
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‎In addition to prison terms, the court granted the prosecution’s request to forfeit assets recovered during the investigation to the Federal Government. Seized items included thousands of SIM cards, hundreds of mobile phones and computers, office furniture and equipment, generators, vehicles, air-conditioning units and other electronic and household items recovered from properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
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‎According to court documents, the defendants conspired to unlawfully access computer systems and recruit Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals online for financial gain — actions said to have threatened Nigeria’s economic and social stability.
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‎They were also accused of laundering proceeds of fraud, including retaining significant sums of USDT cryptocurrency and over ₦3.4 billion in bank accounts.
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‎A third defendant, Audu Friday, pleaded not guilty and will continue to stand trial on related charges, including alleged unlawful foreign exchange transactions.