Hookup Turns Legal Horror: Woman Ordered to Pay £25,000 for False Rape Claim Against Nigerian Businessman

What began as a fleeting encounter in a London nightclub has ended in a high-stakes legal battle, with a British court ordering Cynthia Chia to pay £25,000 in damages to Dubai-based energy trader Idowu Ogunkanmi after a staggering nine-year campaign of harassment and false accusations.

The sordid saga began in 2015 when Ogunkanmi, then visiting the UK for work, met Ms. Chia at the Steam Bar inside the Hilton Hotel in Paddington. After a night of partying and a brief sexual encounter, Ogunkanmi returned to Dubai, assuming the moment was just that—momentary.

He was wrong.

From One Night to a Decade of Torment

What followed was a relentless barrage of harassment and defamation from Ms. Chia, who accused Ogunkanmi of everything from r@pe and abuse to bribing police and medical staff, even going so far as to say he had abused her child—all without evidence.

Despite Ogunkanmi cutting off ties, Ms. Chia persisted. Over the years, she reportedly called his workplace up to 100 times a day, created multiple social media accounts with defamatory handles such as rapist_trying_to_avoid_justice, and publicly posted his photo alongside accusations of heinous crimes. One of her Instagram posts, dated December 31, 2021, claimed he had “drugged, r@ped, and impregnated” her.

She also falsely claimed he conspired with police and medical professionals to destroy evidence and suggested he engaged in crimes against children.

A Traumatized Father and a Long-Awaited Win

Speaking after the court ruling, the 44-year-old father-of-three said:

“I met this person for less than 12 hours—that’s been the scariest part. For someone to be that persistent for so long on a lie, I pray for her.”

He described years of emotional distress, reputational damage, and fear, particularly as he was forced to return to the UK in 2017 to defend himself against the r@pe allegation—only to be cleared by police after no evidence supported her claims.

“She probably thought I had a lot of money and was looking to extort me. Because I refused to be extorted, she started this hateful Instagram campaign,” he said.

Court Delivers Justice in Absence of Defendant

Despite repeated summons, Ms. Chia refused to engage with the court, did not appear for any hearing, and had no legal representation. As a result, Deputy High Court Judge Susie Alegre ruled in Ogunkanmi’s favour by default, awarding £25,000 in damages for both defamation and harassment.

The judge also issued a restraining order and granted injunctive relief to stop the continued online abuse, calling it a “necessary and proportionate measure” to protect Ogunkanmi’s privacy and reputation.

Ms. Chia, who was earlier this year convicted of common assault and sentenced to 10 weeks in prison with a five-year restraining order, now faces the weight of civil justice as well.

Digital Defamation and the Real-World Toll

This case underscores the real-world impact of digital defamation and the harrowing toll of false allegations. For Ogunkanmi, the damage went beyond social media smears—it bled into his professional and personal life, shaking his mental health and threatening his livelihood.

While the £25,000 compensation may not restore nearly a decade of peace lost, Ogunkanmi sees it as vindication:

“I am relieved, but the damages don’t fully reflect the depth of trauma and harm done.”

In the age of screenshots and smear campaigns, this verdict sends a powerful message: Online abuse has consequences—and justice, however delayed, will prevail.