The Filipinos were among 729 suspects arrested in a massive raid at Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos, in December 2024 over their alleged involvement in a sophisticated Ponzi scheme and cyber-terrorism operation.
The convicted Filipinos are Reyna Mae Eriba, Chyna Samonte, Zara Fabian, and Dominique Medina.
The Nigerians convicted alongside them include Chidera Ezechukwu, Favour Oluchukwu, Egwenum Ifeanyi, David Okezie, Gbenga Shittu Solomon, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chinecherem Michael, and Oghomienor Jotham.
They were arraigned by the Lagos Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on separate charges of cyber-terrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering.
EFCC prosecution counsel Anita Imo, leading Suleiman I. Suleiman, H.U. Kofarnaisa, and B.M. Isah, told the court that Chyna Samonte, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos, willfully accessed computer systems intending to destabilise and destroy Nigeria’s economic and social structure by recruiting young Nigerians to engage in identity theft, impersonating foreign nationals, and defrauding unsuspecting victims.
The prosecution also revealed that proceeds from the operations were traced to various bank accounts, including a sum of ₦12,750,318.63 retained in a UBA account (No. 2330149541) belonging to Nigerian convict Chidera Praise Ezechukwu in May 2025, Lagos.
The commission stated that Ezechukwu ought reasonably to have known the funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful activity, specifically online dating scams.
According to the EFCC, the offences contravened Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Sections 14(1)(b) and 14(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 (as amended).
All twelve convicts pleaded guilty to the charges.
Justice Bogoro found all twelve guilty and convicted them accordingly.
The prosecution urged the court to order the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from the convicts.
The court sentenced each of the four Filipinos to one year’s imprisonment with an option of a ₦1 million fine each.
Justice Bogoro also directed the Nigeria Immigration Service to repatriate the foreign convicts to the Philippines within seven days of completing their prison terms.
The court sentenced the Nigerians to one year’s imprisonment. Among them, Gbenga Shittu Solomon was sentenced to one year in prison or a fine of ₦700,000.
The remaining seven convicts — “Oghomienor Jotham, Chinecherem Michael, Ibraheem Olamilekan, Chidera Ezechukwu Praise, David Okezie, Egwenum Ifeanyi, and Favour Oluchukwu — received one-year prison sentences each, with the option of paying ₦500,000 in lieu of incarceration.”
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of all vehicles, devices, funds, and other items recovered from the convicts to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
