A peculiar businessman, F1’s Tyrrell team, and Cher’s involvement make for one of motorsport’s most bizarre stories

In the mid-1990s, a peculiar figure emerged within the high-stakes world of Formula 1—a businessman who would go down in history as the ‘Original Fake Sheikh’. Sulaiman Al Kehaimi, a Saudi national, was a master of deception, claiming to be an oil magnate of immense wealth while in reality, he was a man of much more modest means. This strange tale would entwine Formula 1’s struggling Tyrrell team, a glamorous Hollywood diva, and a series of events that seemed straight out of a farce.

Al Kehaimi, a man with an undeniable charm, convinced many in the world of motorsport and beyond that he was someone of astronomical wealth and influence. His trickery seemed harmless to some but was, in fact, a carefully orchestrated scam that would eventually catch up with him. His influence and charisma even extended to some of the world’s most famous figures, including the Grammy-winning singer, Cher.

Although Cher’s role in the saga was peripheral, it added to the surreal nature of the story. She found herself in the midst of the chaos, chaperoned by a respected F1 figure who later questioned whether everything that transpired was merely a bizarre dream. While her involvement was not central to the deception, it added a layer of intrigue to a saga that many would struggle to believe if not for the legal proceedings that followed.

The story was eventually put to rest, or so it seemed, with a trial in the UK’s legal system. Al Kehaimi stood accused of defrauding the rich and famous into believing his fabricated wealth, yet, to the astonishment of many, he was found innocent. This shocking outcome left a trail of unanswered questions in its wake, not least about the true nature of Al Kehaimi’s real identity and the bizarre events that he orchestrated.

Despite the legal resolution, the tale of the Fake Sheikh remains one of the most forgotten yet fascinating episodes in F1 history. Few remember it in its full absurdity, but those who were part of it still find themselves astonished at how such a bizarre sequence of events could have unfolded. Cher’s brief, peripheral role in the story only adds to the strangeness, making it a tale that seems more suited to fiction than reality.