A business relationship that began with promise has turned sour and very public. In a dramatic twist, Chinese trader Ross Boss—once allied...
.jpg "Chinese businessman Ross Boss blasts VDM: “$15K spent, zero customers”")
A business relationship that began with promise has turned sour and very public. In a dramatic twist, Chinese trader Ross Boss—once allied with Nigerian influencer VeryDarkMan (VDM)—says he spent $15,000 on the influencer’s China trip, only to get no customers at all. The dispute now highlights the risks of influencer-led import business deals, much like when Nigerian promoters loudly backed cross-border trade ventures that later collapsed.
What started as a cooperation between influencer VeryDarkMan (VDM) and Chinese businessman Ross Boss has descended into one of the most talked-about trade feuds between Nigeria and China this year. Ross claims he spent an estimated $15,000 (over N22 million) on VDM—covering trips, hotel, shopping, transfers—yet didn’t get so much as one single customer out of the deal.
According to Ross, the deal was simple: invite VDM to China, have him promote Ross’s used-clothes and “okrika” business to Nigerians, bring in orders, split gains. Instead, Ross says, VDM turned around and publicly accused him of shady dealings, leaving Ross feeling betrayed and exposed.
Ross accused VDM of taking advantage of their friendship and platform:
“I invited you to China, I paid your bills, covered everything—what did you deliver in return?” he asked in his post.
It’s a complicated story. Earlier this year, VDM arrived in China saying he was helping Nigerians avoid scams, connecting them with reliable manufacturers. But things changed. He later released a video warning his followers not to do business with Ross, citing unverified claims. Ross fired back, calling VDM “childish”, saying the influencer never followed up on customers and that many of his claims were exaggerated.
Then came the twist many weren’t expecting: a third party (a Nigerian man) broke down how the entire feud might have started over control of the China-buyer channel—saying VDM possibly felt sidelined when Ross began working with other African partners, not just him.
The public fallout has stirred major discussions online:
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Influencer vs. Business Partner: Is an influencer truly suited for trade relationships or just for hype?
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Cross-border risk: The Nigeria–China import scene is rife with stories of containers delayed, goods not as described, or no buyers. This case adds another layer: zero results despite investment.
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Trust and transparency: Ross insists he funded VDM, has records of transfers and receipts. VDM counters with claims of Ross’s integrity problems.
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Reputational damage: VDM’s followers feel let down; Ross’s business faces public defamation.
One Nigerian commenter lambasted VDM:
“You took 15K dollars and now you’re shouting! What customers did you bring? If you didn’t deliver, why rush to accuse?”
On the flip side, VDM supporters claim he was doing the right thing—exposing potential problems for Nigerian buyers. The problem: the way it was handled left many questions unanswered.