A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for their roles in a massive cyberterrorism and internet fraud scheme involving over N3.4 billion and $2.5 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this in a statement shared on its official X handle. The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, by Justice Daniel Osiagor, following the prosecution of the defendants by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the EFCC.
The convicts were part of a large syndicate of 792 suspected fraudsters arrested during a surprise EFCC operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 19, 2024, in Lagos. The operation targeted networks involved in cryptocurrency scams, investment fraud, and romance fraud.
According to the EFCC, investigations revealed that the syndicate recruited and trained Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals online in order to deceive and defraud unsuspecting victims across multiple digital platforms.
The defendants were arraigned alongside Genting International Co. Ltd. and one Friday Audu on a seven-count charge bordering on cyberterrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering amounting to N3,407,824,740.78 and $2,562,203.
Initially, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu pleaded not guilty. However, at the resumed hearing, their counsel informed the court of their decision to change their plea to guilty. Friday Audu, the third defendant, maintained his not guilty plea, and his trial is set to continue on April 29, 2026.
Following their guilty pleas, prosecution counsel Bilikisu Bala-Buhari urged the court to impose the maximum penalty and order the forfeiture of items recovered during the investigation.
Items forfeited to the Federal Government include 1,596 mobile phones, 2,120 office chairs, 544 office tables, 194 routers, 43 computer systems, a network server, 126 air-conditioning units, generators, vehicles, thousands of SIM cards, and other electronic and household equipment recovered from multiple properties in Victoria Island and Ikoyi, Lagos.
In his ruling, Justice Osiagor sentenced both men to a cumulative 46 years’ imprisonment each, with an option of a N56 million fine. The court also ordered them to undertake three days of community service and directed that they be repatriated after serving their sentences.