ABUJA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — Nine Chinese nationals who posed as Nigerians in global internet fraud schemes—infamously linked to the so-called “Nigerian prince” scams—have been convicted and sentenced to prison for cyberterrorism and internet fraud.
The convicts, identified as Li Dong, Deng Wei Qiang, Huang Bo, Xiong Zhen, Lai Rui Feng, Zhao Xiao Hui, Lui Hai Rong, Lui Gang, and Du Ji Feng, pleaded guilty to charges stemming from impersonation, digital deception, and coordinated cyber fraud using stolen Nigerian identities.
Authorities revealed that the group operated under Nigerian aliases and used local digital footprints to carry out phishing, business email compromise, and romance scams, thereby reinforcing negative stereotypes about Nigerians globally.
“These individuals not only defrauded innocent people, they weaponized our national identity to do it,” a senior cybercrime official said on condition of anonymity. “The damage is both financial and reputational.”
The case has reignited calls for global digital justice reform, with Nigerian tech and diaspora advocates arguing that the real source of many scams often lies far from Africa.
In a related development, a popular YouTube vigilante on Monday livestreamed the takedown of a Philippines-based call center where fraudsters impersonated Nigerians. The online investigator hacked into the scammers’ live feed, exposed their identities, hijacked internal communications, and revealed their actual location.
During the exposé, scammers were heard telling victims, “We’re calling from Abuja, Nigeria,” while operating from Southeast Asia.
“This is how Nigerians are being scapegoated,” the vigilante said. “The real fraudsters wear other faces, but use African names as cover.”
Nigerian officials have long argued that global cybercrime is more diverse than headlines suggest. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue a formal response to the convictions, but an aide to the Minister said the development “vindicates Nigeria’s longstanding concerns about identity laundering in global cybercrime.”
The sentencing marks a rare instance of foreign nationals being prosecuted and jailed for digital crimes committed under stolen African identities—raising broader questions about cyber attribution, international cooperation, and racial profiling in global tech ecosystems.
