The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals and directors of Genting International Co. Limited, Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for their roles in a multi-billion naira cybercrime and money laundering scheme, court records show.
Justice Daniel Osiagor delivered the judgment at the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday.
Huang Haoyu and An Hongxu were among 792 suspected internet and cryptocurrency fraud suspects arrested in Lagos by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024.
The defendants were charged on a seven-count charge bordering on cybercrime and money laundering under Nigerian law.
The court convicted Huang and An after they changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty when the charges were re-read.
In his ruling, Justice Osiagor sentenced each of the two men to a cumulative 46 years’ imprisonment, with an option of a ₦56 million fine.
The judge also ordered each convict to undertake three days of community service and directed that they be repatriated to China after serving their prison terms and completing the community service.
The EFCC prosecutor, Bilikisu Bala-Buhari, noted in court that counts one and two of the charge attract life imprisonment, while counts three and four carry 14-year terms.
The court granted the prosecution’s request for the forfeiture of assets recovered during the investigation to the Federal Government.
Items forfeited include thousands of mobile phones, office equipment, computer systems, vehicles, air conditioning units, generators, SIM cards and household items recovered from premises in Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
A third defendant, Audu Friday, pleaded not guilty and will stand trial on separate charges.
The sentences reflect judicial action in a high-profile criminal case involving alleged cybercrime, money laundering and related offences that were adjudicated under Nigeria’s cybercrime legal framework.
Forfeiture of assets recovered during the investigation transfers those items to the Federal Government’s ownership as ordered by the court.
