February 17, (THEWILL) – Jacob Lilian, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of a Chinese national, Ling Yang, has told a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, how she was lured into a fraudulent dating scheme while seeking employment at Genting International Co. Limited.
Yang, also known as Shao Ming, was arrested in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on December 10, 2024. He is facing trial alongside Genting International Co. Limited on a four-count charge of cybercrime and advance fee fraud.
Authorities say Yang is part of a 792-member syndicate involved in cryptocurrency investment and romance scams.
One of the charges against him states that he fraudulently impersonated a person named Amity in December 2024 with the intent to gain a financial advantage for his employer, an offence punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Yang pleaded guilty to all the charges, setting the stage for his trial.
Testifying before Justice D.I. Dipeolu, the witness, led in evidence by prosecution counsel Hanatu U. KofarNaisa, identified Yang as one of the Chinese employees working on the seventh floor of the company’s building.
Lilian recounted that she had been job-hunting in November 2024 when she found a listing in a WhatsApp job update group.
The post mentioned a customer service position but provided only an address—No. 7 Oyin Jolayemi Street, Lagos.
Upon arriving for the interview, she was neither asked to submit a résumé nor any other documentation.
Instead, she was made to sit in front of a computer for a speed test, which had a benchmark of 30. She scored 28 and was told to improve her speed before being offered the job.
She further revealed that the company did not issue her an employment letter or request any credentials but provided accommodation on the Island, where she moved in.
According to her, she was later handed a script and instructed to familiarize herself with it.
The script contained the name “Alani Thomas,” which she was to use while chatting with customers.
She explained that Europeans were the primary targets of the scheme.
“The WhatsApp group was monitored by the employers. Once names were exchanged and I started chatting with a customer, I was asked to stop after three days. The employers would then take over the conversation,” she said.
Lilian disclosed that her salary was N250,000 and that each Nigerian employee had an assigned seat number and computer.
However, attempts to resign proved difficult as the company closely monitored their movements.
“We were constantly escorted by security officials from the office to our accommodation and were never allowed to leave the premises freely.
Before starting work each day, we had to submit our phones. The EFCC raid was my saving grace,” she told the court.
Following her testimony, the prosecution counsel requested an adjournment to enable it to tender the computer containing the scripts as evidence. Justice Dipeolu subsequently adjourned the case to April 11, 2025, for the continuation of trial.
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