Nigerian Socialite Impersonates Dubai Crown Prince, Defrauds Romanian Woman Of $2.5 Million In Elaborate Romance Scam

Abuja, Nigeria– A Nigerian socialite, businessman and alleged internet fraudster, Nzube Henry Ikeji, has been exposed for impersonating the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to defraud a Romanian woman of over $2.5 million in a sophisticated, years-long romance scam that spanned three continents.

Investigations by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed that Ikeji, a flamboyant Abuja-based socialite who mingles with Nigeria’s political and entertainment elite, ran a coordinated fraud syndicate that preyed on emotionally vulnerable women abroad under the guise of love, philanthropy and royalty.

Ikeji and Obi Cubana

Ikeji, who has been photographed with high-profile figures such as real estate mogul Obi Cubana and Grammy-nominated music star Davido, allegedly assumed the identity of Dubai’s crown prince to lend credibility and prestige to the scam.

The Romanian Victim And A Fake Royal Romance

The victim, a Romania-based woman identified simply as Laura, said she was first contacted on LinkedIn about three years ago by a man claiming to be Sheikh Hamdan, the popular and globally admired heir to the Dubai throne.

According to Laura, the initial interaction appeared professional. The supposed crown prince asked for her guidance on credible Romanian humanitarian organisations that required funding and international investment.

Over time, the discussions drifted from philanthropy into personal conversations, eventually blossoming into what Laura believed was a genuine romantic relationship.

After years of consistent online communication, emotional bonding and assurances of marriage, the fake prince introduced another layer to the scheme.

A London Meeting With A “Royal” Financial Manager

Ikeji allegedly instructed Laura to travel to London to meet his financial manager, identified as Matthew Cros, to discuss opening a Barclays account and formalising financial arrangements connected to royal investments.

Laura complied.

Ms Laura and Abhulimhen

In London, she met Cros multiple times. Unbeknownst to him, she secretly documented the meetings with the help of a friend who discreetly took photographs. British police would later identify “Matthew Cros” as a false identity belonging to Martins Abhulimhen, a Nigerian socialite and philanthropist.

Abhulimhen, who once ran an NGO known as the Jose Foundation, had been publicly photographed with powerful figures including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and even a London mayor.

During meetings with Laura, Abhulimhen reportedly wore a taqiyah—a cap traditionally worn by Muslim men—raising questions about whether he was Muslim or merely adopting religious attire as part of the elaborate disguise to appear like a trusted aide to an Emirati royal.

The Phantom Account And The Endless Payments

Laura was later provided with login credentials for what she was told was a legitimate online bank account in her name. The account showed a balance of approximately £202 million.

In reality, investigators later determined the account was completely fictitious and digitally doctored.

When Laura attempted to withdraw funds, she was told she needed to make an initial payment of £7,000 to “activate” the account. Considering she had already sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to the supposed prince over time, the sum appeared insignificant.

She paid.

Prince and Mr Abhulimhen

Each payment triggered new demands—taxes, clearance fees, transfer charges—none of which resulted in access to the funds. By the time Laura realised something was wrong, she had sent an estimated £2.5 million in total, believing the payments would eventually unlock the massive deposit.

A Syndicate Turns On Itself

Back in Nigeria, the scheme reportedly began to unravel—not because of law enforcement, but due to internal greed.

Investigators discovered that Ikeji had fallen out with his co-conspirators over how to share Laura’s money.

The infighting intensified when a man named James Patrick Normoyle, claiming to be a financial adviser, contacted Laura directly.

Normoyle warned her to stop sending money for the sake of marriage and informed her that a so-called “pre-marital visitation acknowledgement form” she had received from the fake prince was also fraudulent.

“He defrauded you of more than 3 million euros,” Normoyle bluntly stated in an email.

Soon after, Laura received a startling message from the same “Matthew Cros” she had met in London.

In a dramatic twist, Abhulimhen now claimed that Laura had been placed under the influence of African black magic, allegedly used by the man impersonating the Emirati crown prince.

“African magic juju and voodoo he has used on you to make you believe he was real prince to marry you,” he wrote via an encrypted messaging app.

When Laura asked about the £202 million account, the response was chillingly direct.

“It’s a lie from the pit of hell.”

The Final Confrontation And Betrayal

Laura confronted the fake prince with the revelations. He dismissed them, claiming his advisers were trying to sabotage their relationship.

“Matthew has targeted planned (sic) against my relationship with you,” read messages saved under the name Sheikh Hamdan.

Realising she had been deceived, Laura begged for a refund.

“How can you be like this, a person with no soul?” she wrote.

Desperate for answers, she turned to the same co-conspirators who had exposed the scam. Feeling cheated by Ikeji’s greed, one of them eventually revealed the truth: the fake crown prince was Nzube Henry Ikeji.

They also shared videos of Ikeji’s newly built mansion—critical leads that allowed journalists to trace him.

OCCRP Tracks Ikeji To Abuja Mansion

OCCRP journalist Matt Sarnecki, working alongside Nigerian reporter Chikezie Omeje, followed Ikeji’s extensive digital footprint. His Instagram page flaunted luxury cars, designer watches, exotic vacations and business-class flights.

His wife, Confidence Amara Ikeji, known on Instagram as prettyfident, frequently posted images from luxury shopping trips abroad.

In one reel, she was seen shopping at a Louis Vuitton store in the UK, clad in fur and surrounded by expensive shopping bags.

Okeji speaking with OCCRP Journalist from his mansion’s

Ikeji reportedly owns a Lexus 570, a 2020 Range Rover Vogue, and luxury watches including a Hublot. His ostentatious lifestyle earned him the nickname “Access Money.”

An Igbo man, Ikeji holds traditional titles in Northern Nigeria, including Sarkin Gabas Matasan of Nasarawa, and was crowned Ojichukwu Ndi Igbo na South East in 2024.

His wife once posted online, thanking God for blessing the family with “another mansion in another city.”

Using social media images, OCCRP matched Ikeji’s properties to estates in Abuja. After days of searching, Omeje located the mansion—with Ikeji spotted standing shirtless on an upstairs balcony.

Ikeji Turban

Denials, Investigations And Partial Recovery

When confronted, Ikeji denied impersonating the Dubai crown prince but admitted knowing Abhulimhen. He expressed more concern about how journalists located his home than the allegations themselves.

“But how did you get to my house?” he asked.

When questioned about money transfers from the UK, Ikeji deflected, insisting all further questions be directed to his lawyers.

British police later confirmed that Abhulimhen was under investigation and had acted as a liaison, receiving funds from Laura and transferring them to Ikeji in Nigeria.

A UK court has since seized £113,000 from Abhulimhen’s account to be returned to Laura. Further legal action, however, must be routed through Romanian authorities.

Both Ikeji and Abhulimhen operate humanitarian foundations and have publicly donated food and relief materials to the less privileged—a stark contrast to the allegations against them.

Ikeji maintains that funds received were donations to his foundation. Abhulimhen resigned as president of the Jose Foundation and has refused to respond to OCCRP’s inquiries.

The Nigerian government has confirmed that it is investigating the case. As of now, neither Ikeji nor Abhulimhen has been formally charged.