How Nigerian socialite Nzube Henry Ikeji, posed as Dubai Prince, defrauded Romanian businesswoman of $2.5m
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A Nigerian socialite, Nzube Henry Ikeji, has allegedly impersonated the Crown Prince of Dubai to defraud a Romanian businesswoman of over $2.5 million in a romance and humanitarian investment scam.
A Nigerian socialite, Nzube Henry Ikeji, has allegedly impersonated the Crown Prince of Dubai to defraud a Romanian businesswoman of over $2.5 million in a romance and humanitarian investment scam.
The allegation was uncovered in an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). According to the report, the fraud began about three years ago when the victim, Laura, was contacted on LinkedIn by a man claiming to be the Dubai Crown Prince.
The impostor reportedly told her he wanted to invest in a humanitarian project in Romania. Their online conversations later developed into a romantic relationship. He then asked her to meet his supposed financial manager in London to open a bank account.
Laura was shown an account balance of over £200,000, but the investigation later revealed the account was fake. When she tried to withdraw funds, she was asked to pay large fees. She eventually transferred more than $2.5 million before suspecting fraud.
According to OCCRP, disagreements among the fraudsters led two accomplices to expose the scheme to the victim, revealing Ikeji as the man behind the fake Dubai Crown Prince identity. They also allegedly shared videos showing him at a luxury mansion in Abuja.
Investigators traced Ikeji through social media posts where he flaunted wealth, including luxury shopping in London and videos of him spraying naira at a Davido concert in Asaba. His residence in Abuja was later located.
When confronted by a journalist, Ikeji denied knowing the victim and declined to respond to questions about posing as the Dubai Crown Prince, saying the matter should be referred to his lawyer.
The investigation also linked the case to a UK-based associate, Martins Abhulimhen, who was identified as the fake financial manager. UK police reportedly said Abhulimhen was under investigation over suspicious funds linked to the Romanian woman’s money, which were allegedly transferred to Nigeria.
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