‘Someone Scammed Me’: Gorimbo says Zim library project hit after $5,000 swindle by ‘guy in England’

By Agencies

Zimbabwean Themba Gorimbo is gearing up for his fourth UFC fight at UFC Vegas 92, facing personal and professional challenges.

Recently, his coach’s mother died, adding emotional weight to his preparations. Additionally, while aiming to build a library in Zimbabwe, Gorimbo was scammed out of $5,000.

The initiative was appreciated by many as future UFC Hall of Famer, Dustin Poirier, also contributed an amount of $10k towards Gorimbo’s initiative. His noble acts even earned him a place in Dwayne Johnson’s good books who gifted him a house in Miami.

Gorimbo had planned several noble initiatives for his native land but all that has been put to a halt thanks to the scam.

A recent ‘X’ update from the MMA journalist, Aaron Bronsteter provided more details about the unfortunate incident.

“Someone scammed me, man,” Gorimbo told Bronsteter. “So, I didn’t end up doing that. I lost $5,000 from the person that said they were going to buy the shorts. They sent me a proof of payment that was fake, a guy from England. They wanted me to send the kit to them.

“They sent money to someone in Zimbabwe, hypothetically, they just said they sent the money,” he continued.

“That guy gave me the money then we already bought the bricks and some stuff to start the building of the library. Then a few days later, the guy told me the money has not cleared in the bank account and that it was a scam. So, the guy wanted me to send the stuff to him — I don’t know.

“I ended up losing money. I’m going to do it after this fight with my own money. It is what it is. It’s life. You learn sometimes expensive lessons.”

I spoke with @TheAnswerMMA today, who shared the unfortunate news that he was scammed out of money that he had planned on putting towards building a library in his native Zimbabwe.

He is using that as fuel to earn a performance bonus on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/IIAuhmUlZC

— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 15, 2024

Despite these setbacks, he’s determined to win against Ramiz Brahimaj and use his winnings to continue his charitable efforts.

By the Numbers

• Gorimbo’s MMA record stands at 12-4.
• He was scammed out of $5,000 meant for community development.

State of Play

• Gorimbo is looking to extend a two-fight winning streak.
• He faces Ramiz Brahimaj at UFC Vegas 92 on May 18, 2024.

What’s Next

Following his fight, Gorimbo plans to rebuild his community-focused project with his own money. A win could provide him not only morale but also financial means to fund the library project himself.

Bottom Line

Themba Gorimbo’s resilience amidst personal loss and financial setbacks highlights his commitment to both his career and his community. His upcoming fight serves as a pivotal moment to overcome adversity and make a positive impact.