X Suspends Fake Account Impersonating Ugandan Tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia

Jun 13, 2025 - 22:00

Kampala, Uganda – X has suspended a fraudulent account impersonating Ugandan businessman Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, which was operating under the handle @RupareliaSudhi. The account had been posting misleading content, including emotionally manipulative posts following the death of Ruparelia’s son, Rajiv, in a car accident on May 3, 2025.

Ruparelia, the chairman of the Ruparelia Group with interests in real estate, hospitality, and education, does not maintain a personal X account. On June 11, 2025, Watchdog Uganda reported that Ruparelia issued a public warning about the fake account, clarifying that he has no official presence on X and urging the public to report

@RupareliaSudhi for its deceptive activities. “I do not own or operate any account on X,” Ruparelia stated, emphasizing that any posts from the account were fraudulent and should be ignored.

The fake account had amassed thousands of followers by sharing business advice, images of Kampala, and posts falsely suggesting Ruparelia’s endorsement of investment schemes. Its activities echoed a prior scam reported by Watchdog Uganda on April 2, 2025, involving an AI-generated deepfake video falsely depicting Ruparelia promoting a fraudulent financial platform, contributing to Uganda’s Shs474 billion in online scam losses in 2024.

Following Ruparelia’s warning, thousands of X users reported the account, prompting X to suspend

@RupareliaSudhi. The suspension was noted by various media outlets, marking a response to ongoing concerns about impersonation on the platform. Ruparelia has faced similar issues before, including a 2020 scam targeting his son Rajiv and a 2024 WhatsApp scam requesting gift card purchases under his name.

Authorities have not identified the operator of the fake account, and X has not released further details on the suspension. Ruparelia’s businesses, including Speke Resort Munyonyo and Kampala Parents School, remain unaffected, and his Ruparelia Foundation continues its philanthropy, including educational scholarships and community outreach.

The post X Suspends Fake Account Impersonating Ugandan Tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.