Henry Ikeji rejects claims of $2.5m romance scam allegations

Nigerian socialite Henry Ikeji has denied claims linking him to an alleged online romance and investment scam, calling the accusations a targeted effort to damage his reputation.

Very Nigerian reports that on Wednesday, Ikeji rejected reports that he defrauded a Romanian woman of millions of dollars. He insisted that the case was being misrepresented in public discussions.

Very Nigerian reports that the Nigeria Police’s National Cybercrime Centre is examining an investigative documentary suggesting that Ikeji posed as the Crown Prince of Dubai in a complex online scheme. The report alleges that the fraud cost the victim approximately $2.5 million.

Addressing reporters in the interview, Ikeji said the funds involved in the matter were paid into his account in naira and questioned the motive behind how the allegations were being spread.

“The money was paid to me from a naira account. While I’m explaining this and saying all this, I feel like there is a targeted plan to destroy my reputation because, as it stands now, nobody believes me.

“All my people that believe in my reputation, they are all now doubting me. All my friends have flown away; everybody now is calling me a criminal. All over the internet is circulating that I scammed a Romanian woman.”

Ikeji did not provide documentary evidence to support his claims during the interview, but insisted the narrative being circulated was damaging his personal and professional life.

Earlier reports said the alleged ordeal began when a Romanian woman, identified only as Laura in a documentary published by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, was contacted on LinkedIn by someone claiming to be the Dubai Crown Prince.

Police have stated they are still in the profiling stage of the investigation and are analysing the information available in the public domain. A senior police official told Very Nigerian last week that investigators are yet to receive formal complaints from the purported victim or documentary producers, and will gather more evidence before deciding on next steps.

The National Cybercrime Centre has not yet announced any charges against Ikeji, and it is unclear whether a formal complaint has been filed by the alleged victim with law enforcement authorities in Nigeria or abroad.

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