EFCC Arrests 148 Chinese, Other Foreigners Over Romance, Investment Scam In Lagos
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Monday, that it has arrested 192 foreign nationals for their alleged involvement in cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams, marking the largest such operation in the commission’s history.
Those arrested include 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, two Khazartans, one Pakistani, and one Indonesian.
EFCC said the suspects were apprehended in a surprise operation at their hideout, a seven-storey building known as the Big Leaf Building, located at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EFCC revealed that the operation was the result of actionable intelligence and months of surveillance on the activities of the syndicate.
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The investigation confirmed that the foreigners used the building, which appeared to be a legitimate corporate office, to train Nigerian accomplices on how to execute romance and investment scams.
They also used Nigerian identities to carry out their fraudulent schemes.
The facility, equipped with high-end desktop computers, contained several floors dedicated to criminal activities. On the fifth floor, investigators seized 500 SIM cards of local telecom providers, which were acquired for illicit purposes.
The EFCC noted that the foreign suspects recruited Nigerian accomplices to target victims primarily in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and various European countries through phishing schemes.
The Nigerian operatives were given desktop computers and mobile devices, creating fake profiles to engage victims in fraudulent romantic and business conversations.
These accomplices communicated with victims using WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, often pretending to be business professionals or romantic partners. The scammers encouraged victims to register on a fake online investment platform, www.yooto.com, where they were required to pay activation fees starting at $35 to open an account.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
