The Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has heard how an alleged investment scheme involving mining and a proposed Deep Sea Port project reportedly led to the defrauding of foreign investors to the tune of $525,276.
During earlier proceedings in the trial of Victor Ekpong Thompson, one of the alleged victims, Tammy Jensen, told the court how she met the defendant on Facebook in August 2022.
According to Jensen, Thompson introduced himself as a dealer in precious stones and later convinced her and other investors to finance a mining project under a proposed company, Arch Royale Projects Limited, allegedly located in Iwuru Community in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State.
She further testified that Thompson later presented another investment opportunity involving a Deep Sea Port project in Akwa Ibom State, promising substantial returns on investment.
Jensen told the court that between 2023 and 2025, a total of $525,276 was transferred to Thompson through various payment channels.
She said suspicions arose after she visited Nigeria in June 2025 and discovered inconsistencies surrounding the mining and port projects.
According to the prosecution, Thompson’s arrest followed a petition dated October 18, 2025, filed on behalf of several U.S.-based investors, including Tammy Jensen, Kenneth Blad, Peter Jensen, Beth Southwick and Angie Craven.
The petition alleged that Thompson contacted Jensen through Facebook on August 20, 2022, presenting himself as a legitimate businessman involved in the exploration of precious stones such as emerald, ruby and sapphire.
Investigators alleged that Thompson used false credentials and fabricated operational updates to persuade the investors to commit funds to the mining and Deep Sea Port projects.
The prosecution further claimed that Arch Royale Projects Limited, which Thompson allegedly presented as an operational company, was not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission at the time the investments were solicited.
In relation to the Deep Sea Port project, Thompson was accused of falsely claiming involvement in a $6.7 billion venture and allegedly invoking the names of senior government officials to gain credibility.
He was also said to have requested $110,000 as documentation fees while claiming that government officials had already provided other necessary funding for the project.
Investigations reportedly revealed that a substantial part of the investors’ funds was diverted for personal use.
Assets allegedly traced to Thompson include a two-storey duplex located at Shelter Afrique Estate in Uyo, a Toyota Hilux vehicle and a grey Lexus RX350.
