February 3, 2026 | News | SUNTV Global Channel
An international investigation has uncovered the identities of two well-connected Nigerians allegedly involved in an elaborate romance and investment scam that defrauded a Romanian businesswoman of more than $2.5 million.
According to findings by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the suspects — Nzube Henry Ikeji, 31, and Dr. Martins Abhulimhen, 60 — are accused of posing as a fictitious Dubai royal and his financial manager in a scheme that spanned multiple countries over two years.
OCCRP reports that Ikeji, founder of the Nzube Ikeji Foundation, allegedly assumed the identity of a “Dubai Prince,” while Abhulimhen, founder of the Jose Foundation, played the role of the prince’s financial manager. The pair are described as highly connected figures, frequently photographed with prominent Nigerian political leaders and business elites.
Images reviewed by investigators reportedly show the men in the company of top public officials and influential personalities, including the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and his wife, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, among others. They have also been linked socially to high-profile figures such as Cubana Chief Priest, Obi Cubana, and billionaire businessman Arthur Eze.
The investigation reveals that Ikeji allegedly first contacted the victim — identified by OCCRP only as Laura — via LinkedIn, presenting himself as a royal philanthropist interested in funding humanitarian projects in Romania. The interaction later evolved into an online romantic relationship, culminating in a marriage proposal.
OCCRP says the alleged “prince” convinced Laura that she was required to finance traditional marital rites under supposed royal customs. He later directed her to meet his so-called financial manager in London — allegedly Abhulimhen, operating under the alias Dr. Mathew Croos.
Between 2022 and 2024, Laura reportedly transferred over $2.5 million to accounts controlled by the suspects. The London Metropolitan Police, according to OCCRP, traced the funds to bank accounts linked to Abhulimhen in the United Kingdom and Ikeji in Nigeria.
The case has renewed global attention on the use of elite social connections, philanthropic fronts, and online romance as tools for large-scale financial fraud. Investigations are ongoing, and no court verdict has yet been delivered.
