The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian technology enthusiast popularly known online as the “Tech Queen,” for her alleged involvement in a large-scale fraud scheme targeting U.S. government institutions.
According to official reports, Egemasi was apprehended around April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York. She was arrested alongside several other suspects, including Samuel Kwadwo Osei, a Ghanaian national identified as the alleged mastermind behind the syndicate.
The arrests stem from a federal grand jury indictment filed in 2024, which charges the group with multiple counts of internet fraud and money laundering. The alleged criminal activities reportedly spanned from September 2021 to February 2023.
Prosecutors allege that the syndicate orchestrated a sophisticated scam that defrauded the city of Kentucky of millions of dollars. The group is said to have created convincing spoof websites resembling official U.S. government portals.
These fraudulent sites were used to harvest sensitive login credentials and manipulate online transactions, redirecting substantial funds into accounts under the syndicate’s control.
Investigations suggest that Egemasi played a pivotal role in the operation as its technical lead. Authorities claim she was responsible for designing the fraudulent websites and overseeing the coordination of wire transfers.
Financial records indicate that in a single month—August 2022—the group successfully diverted approximately $965,000 into a PNC Bank account and funneled an additional $330,000 into an account with Bank of America.
Before her arrest, Egemasi was reportedly residing in Cambridge, United Kingdom. However, investigators believe she had previously lived in Ghana, where she may have established connections with other members of the criminal network.
To conceal the origins of her wealth and create a façade of legitimacy, Egemasi is said to have fabricated aspects of her professional background. On platforms such as LinkedIn and Devpost, she claimed to have interned at global companies including British Petroleum, Zara, and H&M.
Her online presence portrayed her as a successful tech professional, while her social media accounts showcased images of luxury vacations to destinations like Greece and Portugal—trips that prosecutors now allege were funded through illicit proceeds.
Egemasi and her co-accused are currently being held in federal custody and are awaiting trial in Lexington, Kentucky.