Witness Narrates how Chinese Employer Lured her into Alleged Cyber-terrorism, Internet Fraud

The First Prosecution Witness, PW1, Jacob Lilian, in the trial of Ling Yang (a.k.a Shoa Ming), a Chinese, and part of the alleged 792-member syndicate of cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects has narrated before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos how her job search at Genting International Co. Limited ended in being lured into dating scam by the defendant.

Yang alongside Genting International Co. Limited is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a four-count charge, bordering on cybercrime and advance fee fraud, having been arrested in Lagos by officers of the Commission in a surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” on December 10, 2024.

One of the charges reads: "That you, LING YANG A.K.A. SHAO MING, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for your employer fraudulently impersonated one Amity 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." He pleaded guilty to all the charges, prompting his trial.

Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Hanatu U. KofarNaisa, the witness, a Nigerian identified the defendant as one of the Chinese that work on the Seventh Floor of the company's building.

"As at November 2024, I was in search of a job and so I joined a WhatsApp group called job update, which was where I got to know about the job that stated customer service and only an address written as No 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos. On getting there I was not asked to present any CV or documentations, and when I got in, I was required to sit in front of a computer. I thought I was about to have an online test, but rather I did a speed limit test that was set to be 30 and I got 28," she said.

She added that she was encouraged to improve her speed, and subsequently given a job with the company.

"No credentials were required or asked for and I was not given any offer letter," she said.

According to her, the company provided accommodation for her on the Island and she moved in.

She further testified that she was later given a script to read, adding that she was told that was her job.

"On the script there was a name, Alani Thomas, and I was asked to read the script further and to get familiar with any customer assigned to me and chat with them," she said.

Testifying further, she stated that Europeans were the main targets and that she was usually introduced as Alani Thomas.

"The WhatsApp group is being monitored by the employers, and once names are exchanged, and I start to get to know the customer, by the third day of chatting with the customer, once they are at ease with me, I will be asked to stop chatting with the customer and then the employers will take over the chatting," she said.

She disclosed that her monthly salary was N250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and that the Nigerian employees had seat numbers and computers allocated to them.

She disclosed that she wanted to resign from the job, but the company had a way of caging them and monitoring their activities.

"We were always escorted by security officials from the office to the accommodation and we were never allowed to leave the office premises. Before we start working for the day, we have to submit our phones.

The EFCC arrest was a saving grace for me," she said.

Prosecution counsel applied for an adjournment to enable it to tender the computer with the scripts in evidence.

Justice Dipeolu adjourned the case till April 11, 2025 for continuation of trial.                

Source: EFCC X Handle, Monday February 17,2025.

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