A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has ordered the remand of 14 Philippine nationals for their suspected involvement in cryptocurrency fraud. This was confirmed in a statement from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday.
The suspects are among 792 individuals arrested on December 10, 2024, in Lagos, as part of a crackdown on cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud. The EFCC stated that the 14 Filipino suspects were part of a larger syndicate, and identified them as Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Jonalyn Mendoza, Dominique Medina, Rachelle Cabalona, Krystel Aquilesca, and Caselyn Pionela, among others.
They face various charges related to cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, impersonation, identity theft, and possession of fraudulent documents, along with a private company involved in the scheme.
The EFCC statement read: “Mary Grace Dela Cruz and Genting International Co. Ltd., in December 2024, allegedly accessed computer systems in a manner designed to destabilize Nigeria’s economic and social structure, recruiting Nigerian youths for identity theft to pose as foreign nationals and gain financial advantage, in violation of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015, and the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The statement also referenced Krystel Aquilesca, who is accused of fraudulently impersonating an individual named ‘TETEEL’ to benefit her employer.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, leading the prosecution to request a trial date. Justice Musa Kakaki granted the request, ordering the suspects’ remand while scheduling the trial for March 13, 2025.
The suspects were arrested during the EFCC’s largest single-day operation targeting cryptocurrency and romance scam syndicates, which resulted in the apprehension of 792 individuals, including 158 foreigners, in a raid on a building in Victoria Island, Lagos.
