Kenyan content creator Sheryl Gabriella has alleged that she was defrauded after travelling to Burkina Faso, to participate in an international competition that promised a grand prize of USD 100,000 (about KSh 12 million).
The influencer became emotional during a TikTok livestream, where she tearfully recounted her experience and claimed the contest was not what participants had been led to believe.
According to Sheryl, she had been selected to represent Kenya in the inaugural Battle of Nations competition, which was scheduled to take place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from July 5 to July 19 under the theme, Solidarity and African Integration.
She said contestants were informed that the winner would receive the USD 100,000 prize through a public voting competition. Excited by the opportunity, she travelled to Burkina Faso expecting to compete fairly alongside participants from other African countries.
However, Sheryl claimed things changed once the tournament began.
She alleged that organisers introduced a requirement compelling contestants to pay KSh 85,000 every day to remain in the competition. According to her, the payments were presented as necessary for participants to continue progressing in the contest.
Sheryl described the demand as overwhelming and financially unsustainable, saying the pressure quickly became unbearable.
Unable to keep up with the alleged daily payments, she decided to withdraw from the competition instead of continuing under what she termed unfair conditions.
During the emotional livestream, the content creator broke down in tears as she narrated the ordeal, saying she felt betrayed after investing her time, resources and hope in what she believed was a genuine international event.
She further alleged that the competition had been structured to extract money from contestants rather than reward talent, describing it as a fraudulent scheme disguised as a legitimate prize tournament.
Her claims have sparked widespread discussion on social media, with many Kenyans expressing sympathy and urging people to exercise caution before participating in competitions that require significant financial contributions.
Some online users called for the organisers to respond to the allegations, while others encouraged authorities to investigate the matter if evidence of wrongdoing is established.
As of now, the organisers of the Battle of Nations competition have not publicly responded to Sheryl’s claims. Her allegations remain unverified, and no official findings have been released regarding the conduct of the tournament.
Despite the setback, Sheryl said she chose to speak publicly about her experience to warn others against falling victim to similar schemes.
Her story has since resonated with many followers, who praised her for sharing what she described as a painful and costly lesson.