Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched one of its largest cybercrime crackdowns in recent memory, culminating in the deportation of 192 foreign nationals linked to an elaborate transnational fraud network. The suspects, among 759 people arrested in a sweeping December operation, were convicted of cyberterrorism, internet fraud, and money laundering. The case, involving multiple continents and millions of dollars in illicit transactions, underscores both Nigeria’s growing cybercrime problem and the country’s determination to reshape its international reputation as a hub for digital fraud.

According to EFCC officials, the operation targeted a vast network of individuals engaged in sophisticated online crimes ranging from phishing scams and Ponzi schemes to cryptocurrency laundering. Those expelled hailed from diverse countries – including China, the Philippines, Tunisia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Timor-Leste – highlighting the increasingly globalized nature of financial crimes facilitated through digital channels.

The EFCC revealed that the network operated primarily through Genting International Co. Limited, a company registered in Nigeria but allegedly established and controlled by foreign nationals. Investigators described Genting International as a front for laundering large volumes of stolen or fraudulently obtained funds. Between April and December 2024, about $1.5 million was deposited into the company’s Union Bank account, according to court documents. The funds, traced back to two cryptocurrency sellers, originated from $2.39 million worth of peer-to-peer transactions linked to Ponzi schemes, including the notorious Conti.VIP.

The use of cryptocurrency as a laundering mechanism has become a........

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