Court Sentences Two Chinese Company Directors to 46 Years Each Over Cybercrime, Money Laundering
- 16 hours ago
- 2 min read
The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted and sentenced two Chinese nationals, Huang Haoyu, popularly known as Ken, and An Hongxu, to 46 years’ imprisonment each for their involvement in a large-scale cybercrime and money laundering operation running into billions of naira.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Daniel Osiagor handed down the cumulative sentence after the duo changed their pleas from not guilty to guilty on a seven-count charge. The court also offered each convict the option of paying a ₦56 million fine. In addition, they are to undertake three days of community service and will be repatriated to China upon completion of their prison terms and service.
Huang and An are directors of Genting International Co. Limited and were among hundreds of suspects arrested in Lagos in December 2024 during a major anti-cybercrime operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A third defendant, Audu Friday, pleaded not guilty and will face trial separately.
During proceedings, defence counsel informed the court of the decision by Huang and An to change their pleas, prompting the charges to be read again. The prosecution urged the court to convict the defendants based on their admission of guilt and pressed for stiff penalties, noting that some of the charges carry life imprisonment while others attract up to 14 years’ jail term.
Justice Osiagor subsequently convicted the two men and ordered the forfeiture of assets recovered in the course of investigations. Items surrendered to the Federal Government include over 1,500 mobile phones, thousands of SIM cards, office furniture, routers, computer systems, a network server, vehicles, generators, air-conditioning units, mattresses, and other equipment seized from locations in Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
According to the charges, the defendants conspired in 2024 to gain unlawful access to computer systems and allegedly recruited Nigerian youths to impersonate foreign nationals online to defraud victims. The prosecution further alleged that the pair retained significant cryptocurrency sums in digital wallets and billions of naira in a corporate bank account believed to be proceeds of illicit activities. They were also accused of transferring large sums to associates and corporate entities.
Trial proceedings are expected to continue against the remaining defendant and the company on related charges, including alleged unlawful foreign exchange dealings and failure to comply with statutory reporting obligations under anti-money laundering regulations.
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