Thirteen individuals accused in an alleged cryptocurrency scam operation have pleaded guilty to a lesser cybercrime offense following their arrest by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The accused were originally charged with computer-related fraud and misuse of devices under Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
During their joint arraignment and pre-trial hearing before the Regional Trial Court Branch 211 in Mandaluyong City, the 13 accused pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of aiding or abetting in the commission of cybercrime under Section 5(a) of the same law.
Following their guilty pleas, the court sentenced each of them to a straight prison term of three years. They were temporarily committed to the BJMP Mandaluyong City Jail pending their application for probation.
The convictions stemmed from an NBI operation on May 9, 2026, at a condominium unit in Mandaluyong City, where authorities allegedly uncovered a cryptocurrency scam hub.
The NBI said the raid was conducted after agents received information about suspected digital fraud activities in the area.
Fifteen individuals, including two foreign nationals, were originally arrested during the operation.