The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned 14 Filipinos, and a
company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before Justice Musa Kakaki of the
Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They are: Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Jonalyn Mendoza, Dominique Medina,
Rachelle Cabalona, Krystel Aquilesca, Caselyn Pionela, Raizza Camara, Danica
Silad, Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Sevien Cire
Renovilla, and Rose-Ann Gonzales.
They are part of the 792-member syndicate of alleged cryptocurrency investment
and romance fraud suspects, arrested on December 10, 2024 in Lagos by
operatives of the EFCC in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush
Operation”.
The defendants were arraigned on separate charges, bordering on
cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, impersonation, possession of documents
containing false pretence, and identity theft.
The charge against Dela Cruz reads: “That you, Mary
Grace Dela Cruz and Genting International Co. Ltd sometime in December 2024, in
Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused
to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and
destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you
procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out
as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial
advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc)
Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention,
Prohibition) Act, 2022."
That of Aquilesca reads: “That you, Krystel Aquilesca, sometime in
December 2024 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with
the intent to gain a financial advantage for your employer fraudulently
impersonated one 'TETEEL' by holding yourself out as such, and thereby
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the
Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015."
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which prosecution
counsel, M.K Bashir, N.K. Ukoha, and Bilkisu Buhari, respectively, prayed the
court for trial dates and for the
defendants to be remanded in a correctional center.
Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter till March 13, 2025 for trial, and ordered
that the defendants be remanded in a correctional center.
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