Mystery Sheikh Tried to Claim Nomura for His Own, Bank Says

(Bloomberg) -- Nomura International Plc is in a London court to stop a man who says he’s a sheikh from pretending that he owns the bank and trying to change its name.

Satari Ajikawo has filed forms with Companies House, the official registrar of companies in the U.K., several times to try to change Nomura’s name. The bank says he has no connection to it.

He also pretended to own the company on his website and various social-media platforms. He didn’t reply to messages sent by Bloomberg through LinkedIn.

Nomura’s lawyer said it was impossible to know why Ajikawo had targeted the firm, and that the company wanted to avoid more serious harm. Ajikawo’s actions could damage Nomura’s reputation, he said.

In 2016, Ajikawo tried to change Nomura’s name at Companies House to “Satari Ajikawo Investment Bank Plc” and in 2019 he attempted to change it to “Satari Ajikawo Plc,” the bank said in court documents.

It’s not the first time Ajikawo has targeted a financial services business. In 2015, he carried out similar acts against Charter Court Financial Services Ltd., which obtained an injunction to stop him interfering further, the bank said in court documents.

Ajikawo, who is the owner of a dormant company called Satari Ajikawo Investment Bank Ltd., didn’t appear at the hearing and refused to engage with solicitors who brought a letter to his house.

The elusive man appeared in court in person when he represented himself against Charter Court three years ago, Nomura’s lawyer said.

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