Rasheeda Chindaya, a prosecution witness, on Wednesday, testified before a Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on how Friday Audu allegedly coordinated a vast international cryptocurrency investment and romance scam network that culminated in the arrest of 792 suspects in December 2024.

The witness, an operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), appeared before Justice Rahman Oshodi as the trial of Audu continued.

Audu is standing trial alongside Genting International Ltd on an amended eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation, possession of fraudulent documents, and computer-related fraud.

According to the EFCC, the December 2024 operation led to the arrest of 792 suspects across multiple locations, comprising 193 foreigners and 599 Nigerians.

The Commission alleged that the suspects were part of a cybercrime syndicate involved in cryptocurrency investment fraud, computer-related fraud, money laundering, and romance scams.

While being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, Chindaya narrated the findings of the EFCC’s investigation.

She told the court that Genting International Ltd was initially incorporated with Nasiru Barau and Yakubu as directors, with a shared capital structure of ₦10 million and ₦18 million respectively.

She said both directors were removed in 2025 and replaced by Ifeanyi, who held ₦12 million in shares, and Matthew, who had ₦18 million.

According to the witness, investigations revealed that Genting International Ltd was presented to the public as a gaming company.

Chindaya testified that a search of the company’s bank accounts showed that the Bank Verification Number (BVN) linked to the accounts belonged to Friday Audu.

She said the BVN was connected to about 10 corporate accounts and involved multiple vendors in financial transactions.

The EFCC operative further told the court that investigators uncovered financial links between Genting International Ltd and other companies, including YENGJIEPENG, BT8 Housing Nigeria Limited, and BNN Construction Limited.

Letters of investigation, the witness said, were written to several banks, which confirmed that Genting operated accounts with balances running into billions of naira, including a peak balance of about ₦34 billion at a point.

Some of the inflows, she said, were traced to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators and entities such as Truly Reality and Garuba.

She added that investigations revealed many of the individuals involved were BDC operators, and that some Chinese nationals arrested during the operation were linked to a notorious syndicate known as ‘Hunang.’

Chindaya told the court that Truly Reality was linked to one Chukwuemeka Okeke, who was also allegedly connected to Audu.

She added that Audu was the sole signatory to Genting International Ltd’s bank accounts.

Documents obtained from the bank, she said, included a request dated August seeking an increase in the company’s bank limit, as well as a board resolution nominating Audu as the sole signatory.

She further testified that funds were routinely transferred from Genting’s accounts to BDC operators for conversion into USDT cryptocurrency, which was paid through digital wallets.

One of such wallets, created in May 2024, reportedly received about ₦97 million before its last transaction in October 2024.

The funds, according to the witness, were proceeds of an earlier fraud and were later transferred into Genting’s Union Bank account.

Chindaya also told the court that debits from Genting’s accounts included staff salaries, purchases, and payments to several Chinese companies.

She said Audu personally received about ₦74 million, which was paid into his personal account and traced to his FCMB account, adding that the funds were used to furnish his office and pay for items such as furniture and diesel.

The witness further testified about another gaming company, Anhongs, whose account was opened in August. She said Audu was also the sole signatory to the account and that the same Genting email address was used for its operations.

Investigations, she added, linked the company to a suspect arrested at an address on Jolayemi Street, Lagos.

Chindaya explained that of the 792 suspects arrested, 193 were foreigners, including 145 Chinese nationals, about 40 Filipinos, a Tunisian, and others. The remaining suspects, the witness added, were Nigerians, mostly youths aged 27 and above.

She told the court that Nigerians and foreigners were recruited separately. In her words: “Nigerians were recruited through social media advertisements, with fast typing skills as a key requirement.

“Recruits were assigned roles as scammers, marketers, and supervisors, and were trained using prepared scripts and documents on how to deceive victims.”

According to the witness, scammers were provided with phones or dating app profiles, particularly on Tinder, and instructed to communicate strictly through chats.

Once victims were convinced, they were handed over to marketers who persuaded them to make payments on fake websites, after which the victims were blocked, the witness added.

She said Nigerian recruits earned between ₦200,000 and ₦800,000 monthly, while foreigners earned between $500 and $1,000, adding that some Nigerians who attempted to leave the operation were threatened with the withholding of their salaries.

Chindaya also testified that several properties linked to Genting were discovered across Lagos, including offices in Victoria Island, Lekki, and Bishop Oluwole Street.

Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter until February 24 and 26, 2026, for continuation of the trial. (Nigerian Tribune)

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