Nzube Henry Ikeji, a Nigerian socialite, is accused of pretending to be Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, in order to trick a Romanian woman out of millions of dollars in a complicated romantic scam.
The Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) looked into Ikeji and found that he was allegedly in charge of a group that went after international women looking for love online.
Laura, the victim, said that three years ago a man purporting to be Dubai’s crown prince contacted her on LinkedIn. At first, he wanted her help with humanitarian projects, but then he turned the conversation into a sexual relationship.
Laura was convinced to meet a claimed financial advisor in London to assist her set up a Barclays account as the friendship grew stronger. The individual, who British police eventually identified as Martins Abhulimhen, is said to have used a fake identity and claimed to be in charge of royal funds.
Later, Laura was able to see an internet account with roughly £202 million in her name. She was asked to pay fees many times before she could take the money out. She sent around £2.5 million before realizing the account was bogus.
Later, the victim found out who Ikeji was since the accused fraudsters fought with each other.
OCCRP reporters were able to find him in Abuja by looking at his social media posts that showed off his expensive automobiles, designer shopping trips, and various residences.
When asked about the claims, Ikeji denied them but admitting to knowing Abhulimhen. He insisted that the money he got was for his foundation.
A UK court has already taken £113,000 from Abhulimhen’s account to pay back the victim. Investigations are still going on in Nigeria, Britain, and Romania.
So far, no charges have been brought.
Culled from The Gazette of People
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