Nigeria, Aug. 17 -- The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has deported 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme offences.

The Federal High Court in Lagos had sentenced the foreigners to one year imprisonment each after they entered plea bargain agreements with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court also imposed a fine of N1 million on each convict.

A source at the EFCC, who is not permitted to discuss the issue with the media, told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the first batch of deportees departed Lagos at 2:00 p.m. local time, while others are scheduled to leave on Monday and Tuesday.

The EFCC said the syndicate ran a large-scale cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme targeting victi...