Within days of a documentary exposing an elaborate online fraud scheme, Nigerian authorities arrested a man suspected of playing a key role, while another victim came forward in Romania with similar allegations.
The investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) identified Nzube Henry Ikeji, 31, who was later taken into custody. According to Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), no formal charges have yet been filed.
The arrest followed the release of the documentary “Exposed: Fake ‘Dubai Prince’ Tracked to Nigeria,” which detailed how Ikeji allegedly impersonated Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the real Crown Prince of Dubai. Investigators say the impersonation was used to build a romantic relationship with a Romanian businesswoman identified as Laura, ultimately defrauding her of approximately $2.5 million.
After the documentary aired, a second Romanian woman—identified as Ana—contacted Context.ro, OCCRP’s Romanian partner. She provided documents suggesting she had been targeted by the same scheme.
Both women reported being approached on LinkedIn by someone posing as the Dubai crown prince and claiming ties to a humanitarian foundation linked to the UAE royal family.
According to evidence shared by the victims, Ana was first contacted in October 2022, followed by Laura a month later. Both were offered a so-called “VIP humanitarian membership permit” and paid 1,850 euros (about $2,100) for the initial membership.
After payment, both women received confirmation messages and fake membership cards. They were then asked to send additional funds to “activate” the permits: Ana paid an additional 10,550 euros, while Laura paid 12,550 euros.
The scammer later moved conversations from LinkedIn to Skype and then to WhatsApp, where he developed romantic relationships with both victims—a common tactic in romance fraud schemes.
Ana said the impersonator eventually claimed he wanted to visit her in Romania but required 42,000 euros for the trip. When she refused, the scammer cut off contact, telling her she had lost both him and the money she had already sent. Laura, however, remained engaged in the scheme for nearly two years, exchanging thousands of messages. She was even persuaded to meet a supposed “financial manager” in London to assist with opening a bank account for fake humanitarian investments.
Both victims were drawn in with fabricated opportunities linked to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, a legitimate charitable organization founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Ana was offered a fake job opportunity, while Laura was told she would help manage millions in humanitarian investments in Romania. Authorities confirmed that none of these offers were real.
Ikeji has not publicly responded to the latest claims involving Ana. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, and his previous legal representatives did not comment. He previously denied involvement in the scam and claimed the OCCRP documentary was a “targeted plan” to damage his reputation.
Investigators say the similarities in communication methods, email addresses, and fake documents strongly suggest both women were targeted by the same organized fraud network. The case highlights the growing sophistication of romance scams, particularly those involving impersonation of high-profile figures to gain victims’ trust and extract large sums of money.
