Zenith Bank Dissociates Jim Ovia From ‘Fraudulent’ AI Investment Scheme

The Management of Zenith Bank Plc has advised the public to disregard videos circulating online linking the bank’s Group Chairman, Dr Jim Ovia, to endorsing an investment scheme known as Wealth Bridge.

The bank issued the warning in a disclaimer statement on Tuesday, signed by its management, addressed to debunk claims by fraudsters over a dubious video describing it as fake, with no link to the Group Chairman

The commercial bank described the videos and promotional materials as fake and had nothing to do with the bank or its group chairman.

The bank further stated that the videos which circulated through the `Greece Island’ Facebook handle, promised prospective customers up to two million naira in weekly returns on a contribution of N380, 000 investment.

The bank, however, warned members of the public who conduct business with the entity that they are doing so at their own risk, as the commercial bank and its chairman have no link whatsoever with it, adding that the claim in the video, to the effect that it has the endorsement of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is untrue.

“The video redirects unsuspecting members of the public to an alleged Arise News webpage with the details of this scheme and an embedded registration portal for signups.

The statement titled: DISCLAIMER

Our attention has been drawn to a doctored video and still pictures currently circulating on social media, purporting to depict the Group Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc (“the Bank”) as endorsing an investment scheme called “Wealth Bridge” on the “Greece Island” Facebook handle and soliciting members of the public to engage in a business relationship with the so-called entity.

This claim is entirely false and has no connection whatsoever to the Group Chairman, the Bank or any of its affiliate companies.

This video makes a fake promise of up to N2 million in weekly returns on a contribution of N380,000 investment in the aforementioned project via a Facebook group. The video goes on to allege that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approves/endorses this said project. The video redirects unsuspecting members of the public to an alleged “Arise News” webpage with details of this “scheme” and an embedded registration portal for signups. This claim is also entirely false and has no connection whatsoever to the Bank or its Group Chairman.

For the avoidance of doubt, all the videos and promotional materials referenced above are FAKE and have nothing to do with Zenith Bank Plc or Dr Jim Ovia, CFR. The Group Chairman of Zenith Bank and the Bank do not know the said investment scheme and have not entered into any partnership with the companies, individuals, or platforms behind these schemes.