A shocking revelation emerged in a Lagos court on Friday, February 7, 2025, as a prosecution witness testified against a Chinese national, Xiao Hong Will, accused of cyber terrorism and internet fraud. The witness, Rowland Turaki, a cybersecurity student, revealed how he was instructed by his employers to disguise himself as a female to gain clients’ trust in a romance scam.
Turaki, who worked for Hong Will’s company, Genting International Company Limited, said he was hired as a customer service representative and was given a script and guidelines to follow in order to befriend clients and gain their trust. He was told to present himself as a woman and use a chat template to converse with clients, mostly men from European countries.
The witness testified that he was pressured to meet deadlines and was threatened with fines and sacking if he did not perform well. He also revealed that the company provided models, who would provide pictures and videos to make video calls with clients more believable.
Turaki’s testimony is part of the prosecution’s case against Hong Will, who is accused of willfully causing computer systems to be accessed with the intent to destabilize the constitutional structure of Nigeria. The defendant is also accused of procuring and employing Nigerian youths for identity theft and holding themselves out as persons of foreign nationality to gain financial advantage.
The case is ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for March 18, 2025. The prosecution is expected to present more evidence and witnesses to build its case against Hong Will and Genting International Company Limited.
The alleged scam is part of a larger operation, known as the “Eagle Flush Operation,” which was conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in December 2024. The operation resulted in the arrest of 792 suspects, including Hong Will, who are accused of various cybercrimes, including romance scams, identity theft, and cryptocurrency investment fraud.
The case highlights the growing concern of cyber terrorism and internet fraud in Nigeria, and the need for law enforcement agencies to crack down on these crimes. The EFCC has been working to combat these crimes, and the prosecution of Hong Will and others is a significant step in this effort.
