Nigerian Celebrities Busted For Fake Life: A Tale of Fame, Fraud, and Public Embarrassment

The Nigerian entertainment industry has its fair share of glamour and luxury, but some celebrities have been caught living a lie—posing with fake luxury items, wealth, status and generally living a fake life.

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From falsified ownership of real estates to flaunting counterfeit designer goods, many of these figures have been exposed by fans and investigative media, leading to public embarrassment. Let’s explore some of the notable Nigerian celebrities who have been busted for living a fake life.  

1. Oge Okoye and the Stolen Dog Photos

In March 2017, Nollywood actress Oge Okoye found herself in hot water when she was caught stealing dog photos from the Instagram account of American reality star Kenya Moore.

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Oge Okoye posted pictures of Kenya Moore’s dogs and claimed them as her own, even giving them new names. Fans quickly discovered the deception, and she faced widespread ridicule online.

2. Kcee and the Fake Dollar Photos

On August 2017, popular Nigerian musician Kcee  was accused of living a fake life when he posted photos of large sums of US dollars on his Instagram account.

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Unfortunately for Kcee, savvy social media users quickly uncovered the truth—the photos were taken from a website offering stock images of money. This led to a massive backlash, with many questioning the authenticity of his lavish lifestyle.

3. May D and the Fake N150 Million Duplex

In November 2017, Nigerian singer May D was exposed for claiming to have bought a luxurious N150 million duplex in Magodo, Lagos.

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May D‘s publicists had released a statement claiming the pop artiste (real name Akinmayokun Awodumila) had acquired and moved into his ‘new 6-bedroom duplex’ located in the Magodo area of Lagos.  However, the actual owner to debunk his claims. It turned out that the house was not for sale and that May D had used the pictures to create a false impression of wealth.

4. Halima Abubakar and the Stolen Baby Pictures

On April 2020, Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar was caught in a baby photo controversy. She had announced the birth of her child and posted pictures of a newborn on Instagram.

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However, fans quickly realized that the photos were stolen from an American mother’s Instagram account. Halima later claimed she was protecting her baby’s privacy, but the damage was already done, and she faced heavy criticism.

5. Wizkid and the Fake Richard Mille Watch

On November 2020, international music star Wizkid made headlines when he was called out for flaunting a fake Richard Mille wristwatch.

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The controversy began after Wizkid posted a photo of himself wearing the luxury watch on Instagram. A well-known watch connoisseur revealed that the Richard Mille watch was counterfeit, causing a stir among his fans.

6. Koko Zaria and the Fake Benz Photo

In April 2023, Koko Zaria, a Lagos socialite and member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), was caught posting a photo of a Benz that wasn’t his.

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He claimed to have bought a new Mercedes-Benz, but it was later discovered that the car belonged to someone else. The real owner came forward, calling out Koko Zaria for his fraudulent post.

7. Bobrisky and the Fake Luxury Lifestyle

Controversial crossdresser Bobrisky has long been accused of fabricating much of his luxurious lifestyle. From flaunting rented houses to wearing fake designer outfits, Bobrisky’s “fake it till you make it” mentality has earned him both fame and backlash.

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There have been countless instances where fans have caught him posting photos of rented cars and borrowed luxury items.

8. Linda Ikeji and the Fake Hermes Birkin Bag

Popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji was embroiled in a controversy in June 2018 when she posted pictures of herself with a supposed Hermes Birkin bag.

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Fashion enthusiasts quickly pointed out inconsistencies in the bag’s design, questioning its authenticity. Someone contacted the Hermes Birkin bag maker with the photo. The Hermes Birkin bag confirmed it was fake. Though Linda denied the allegations, many were convinced that the luxury bag was a fake.

9. Blessing CEO and the Fake House

Social media relationship expert Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, was exposed for claiming ownership of a house that did not belong to her.

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In November 2019, she posted pictures of a luxurious mansion, claiming it was her new home. The real owner, Onye Eze, called her out and even had her publicly humiliated by posting videos of her begging for forgiveness.  

Portable and his “N150m” G-Wagon SUV

Controversial Nigerian singer, Portable announced a brathat he had acquired a brand new Brabus G-Class to his car collection. The Brabus G-Class was reportedly estimated to have cost him between N150m-N280m.

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However, months later, the singer was arrested by the car seller in the Abule Egba area of Lagos . The seller revealed that the “Zah Zooh” cronner had bought the vehicle for ₦27 million but paid only ₦13 million. In a viral video, Portable was seen to have scaled a gate after policemen approached him with an arrest warrant to follow them. Another viral video, however, showed him being dragged, handcuffed and wheelbarrowed by about four policemen into a waiting vehicle.

10.  Sophia Momodu

On Friday, September 20, Sophia Momodu took to her Snapchat page to share a video showing her new house under construction.  Momodu, who is Davido’s first baby mama, is known for a lavish lifestyle. She captioned the video, “No more hiding God’s blessing”, implying that she owned the apartment, adding it to her sophistication and luxury.

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The video drew much attentions online. However, the real estate company who owned the mansion called her out shortly after this, alleging that they sold the unit but not to her. They also accused her of showing off a house that is not hers.

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