Herman Emmanuel Fankem (born September 12, 1980) is the main pseudonym used by an unidentified Cameroonian serial fraudster who has refused to identify himself to Canadian authorities since his 2013 arrest for participating in an advance-fee scam.

Fankem insists that he is a French citizen visiting from England and has been uncooperative in attempts to identify him, sometimes threatening and insulting officers, and has refused to be photographed or fingerprinted.

In 2020, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice determined that he was a Cameroonian national, likely born in Douala with the first name "Emmanuel", and ordered his prolonged detention.

[1][2] Fankem moved to Britain and was registered to the British Home Office as Cameroonian national Bouon Emmanuel Fébile, born September 13, 1978.

[2] Fankem was arrested in 2007 in London for using fraudulent documents under the identity of a Haitian national named Joseph James, born July 20, 1979, and was detained by immigration police.

[1][2][3] Fankem was again arrested in Britain in 2009 under the Cameroonian identity of Herman Kemté, born September 13, 1979, on charges of fraud, and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

[5] Seized cell phones after his 2013 arrest in Canada show text messages between Fankem and his friends and family, none of them addressing him by "Herman" but rather as "Emmanuel" or a diminutive, with his mother calling him "Emanu".

The charges were suspended and he was transferred to the Central East Correctional Centre by the Canada Border Services Agency for deporation to France, as Fankem insisted he was French and had no other nationality.

[11][12] The IRB barred press coverage of the case to "facilitate Mr. Fankem's ability to fully participate in his hearing without creating additional distress".