Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian tech enthusiast popularly known online as the “tech queen,” has been arrested by the FBI for her alleged role in a major fraud scheme targeting U.S. government agencies.
The 2025 arrest took place in the Bronx, New York, and came after a federal grand jury indicted her and several others in 2024. Among her alleged co-conspirators is Samuel Kwadwo Osei, a Ghanaian national believed to be the mastermind behind the operation.
According to federal prosecutors, the cybercrime ring operated from September 2021 to February 2023, defrauding entities including the city of Kentucky. The syndicate reportedly created fake government websites to steal login credentials and reroute public funds into their own accounts.
Egemasi allegedly served as the technical lead, responsible for building the spoof sites and coordinating wire transfers. In just one month—August 2022—the group is said to have funneled over $1.2 million into U.S. bank accounts under their control.
Before her arrest, Egemasi was based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and claimed on platforms like LinkedIn to have interned with companies such as British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara. However, investigators believe she used fabricated credentials and lavish social media posts to mask the source of her wealth, which included vacations to destinations like Greece and Portugal.
Egemasi and her co-defendants are currently being held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky, where they await trial. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison, substantial fines, and likely deportation.