A male cybersecurity student, Rowland Turaki, has revealed how his Chinese employer, Xiao Hong Will, instructed him to disguise himself as a female in order to win clients’ trust.
Turaki made this shocking revelation while testifying as the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Xiao Hong Will, who is facing charges of cyber terrorism and internet fraud.
Turaki, who was employed by Genting International Company Limited, gave his testimony on Friday, February 7, 2025, before Justice D.I. Dipeolu at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi.
He explained how he was recruited by Will for a customer service role that ultimately led him into a scheme to deceive clients, primarily from Europe.
According to Turaki, he first encountered the job advertisement while browsing Jiji.ng in November 2024, seeking a laptop for his studies.
The ad led him to contact a WhatsApp number, after which he was invited to an interview in Victoria Island, Lagos.
He passed the interview, which focused only on his typing speed, and was hired almost immediately, despite not being tested for his cyber skills.
Turaki went on to explain that, upon joining the company, he was provided with a script and specific instructions for chatting with clients, including pretending to be a woman.
The company, he revealed, employed a template for all employee-client communications, designed to build trust with the clients over a period of time.
He was given five days to gain each client’s trust, after which the supervisors would take over the conversations, using the information they had gathered.
“They gave me a script to follow, and I was told to present myself as a woman to gain the client’s trust. I was instructed not to deviate from the template,” Turaki said in court.
He added that his employers also used a model, named Amity Smith, who provided images and videos that were shared with clients to make the interactions seem more convincing.
Despite the pressure to meet client targets, which included fines and threats of termination, Turaki eventually decided to resign. However, he was informed that he would lose his salary unless he provided a 15-day notice.
Before he could leave, he and other employees were arrested in December 2024 as part of an operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which targeted a syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency and romance fraud suspects.
Will and his company, Genting International, face multiple charges, including cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, identity theft, and the possession of fraudulent documents.
During the proceedings, prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, confirmed that the prosecution was ready to proceed with further testimonies.
The defence, however, sought to delay the trial, claiming the case was complex and needed more time for cross-examination. Justice Dipeolu rejected the request and allowed Turaki to continue his testimony.
The case was adjourned to March 18, 2025, for further hearings.
Will, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, remains in custody as the trial continues.
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