Nigerian man posed as Dubai Prince, defrauds woman of $2.5m

A Romanian businesswoman has reportedly lost more than $2.5 million in a sophisticated romance and investment fraud after being contacted on LinkedIn by a man impersonating Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, according to an investigation published this week by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

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The suspect, identified as Nzube Henry Ikeji, a 31-year-old Nigerian socialite, allegedly orchestrated the elaborate scam by first approaching the woman, known only as Laura in reports, in a message about humanitarian investment opportunities in Romania.

What began as a seemingly professional exchange about charitable investment opportunities, with the impostor claiming he wanted to fund Romanian causes, slowly evolved into a personal relationship.

Over time, the exchanges deepened into romantic messages, culminating in a purported marriage proposal.Investigators say the fraudster then instructed Laura to travel to London to meet his supposed financial manager, identified in the messages as Matthew Cros, who was later revealed to be another Nigerian national, Dr. Martins Abhulimhen, posing under a fake identity.

In London, Laura met the man introduced as Cros several times and was given login credentials to a bank account that showed a staggering balance of approximately £202 million, funds she was told would be used for the humanitarian projects. Unaware the account was entirely fake, she was told to pay various fees and charges to unlock the funds.

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The scheme followed a familiar pattern of advance-fee fraud: each time Laura attempted to access the account or release the funds, she was told additional payments were required. Convinced the money was genuine and acting on trust, she eventually transferred more than $2.5 million, thinking she was enabling both a marriage and a philanthropic investment.

The scam began to unravel, not through law enforcement action, but when disagreements surfaced among the alleged co-conspirators over how the proceeds should be shared. Two members of the syndicate reportedly contacted Laura directly, revealing parts of the ruse and naming Ikeji as the man behind the fake Crown Prince persona.

They also shared videos of him at a luxury mansion in Abuja, which became key leads for investigators.Using social media footprints, interviews and footage, OCCRP journalists traced Ikeji first to his luxury mansion in Abuja, discovering a lifestyle that included expensive cars, designer shopping and international travel.

His online presence, including posts showing wealth and high-end living, helped confirm his identity and location.British authorities also played a role in piecing together the money trail. The London Metropolitan Police reportedly traced Laura’s transferred funds to accounts linked to Abhulimhen in the UK, and then from the UK onward to accounts in Nigeria.

A British court has already seized £113,000 from Abhulimhen’s account with a view to returning it to Laura, although broader recovery of funds remains complicated.Beyond the mechanics of the scam, the investigation noted that both Ikeji and Abhulimhen have cultivated high-profile social connections.

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They have been photographed with prominent Nigerian figures, including top politicians, business leaders and influencers, lending an unwarranted sheen of credibility to the scheme. When confronted by journalists, Ikeji denied the claims, stating he knew Abhulimhen but asking that questions about the alleged fraud be referred to his lawyers.

Abhulimhen is reportedly under investigation by UK authorities over suspicious transactions linked to Laura’s funds.