SOCIALITE HENRY IKEJI DENIES ROLE IN ALLEGED $2.5M ROMANCE, INVESTMENT SCAM
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
A Nigerian socialite, Henry Ikeji, has denied allegations linking him to an online romance and investment scam, describing the claims as a coordinated attempt to damage his reputation.
Ikeji, who is reportedly under investigation, spoke during an interview with Africa Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday, rejecting accusations that he defrauded a Romanian woman of millions of dollars.
It was reported that operatives at Nigeria’s National Cybercrime Centre are reviewing an investigative documentary which alleged that Ikeji impersonated the Crown Prince of Dubai in a sophisticated online romance-cum-investment fraud that allegedly cost the victim about $2.5 million.
Responding to the allegations, Ikeji said the funds referenced in the reports were paid into his account in naira, questioning the motive behind the public narrative surrounding the case.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
He did not provide documentary evidence during the interview to substantiate his claims but maintained that the allegations were severely affecting his personal and professional life.
According to earlier reports, the alleged victim, identified only as Laura in a documentary by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), was reportedly contacted on LinkedIn by an individual posing as the Crown Prince of Dubai.
Police authorities have stated that the matter remains under review. A senior police official said last week that investigators are still in the profiling stage and are analysing information available in the public domain.
The official added that law enforcement agencies have yet to receive any formal complaint from the alleged victim or the documentary producers and would require additional evidence before determining further action.
As of the time of filing this report, the National Cybercrime Centre has not announced any charges against Ikeji, and it remains unclear whether a formal complaint has been lodged with authorities in Nigeria or elsewhere.
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