FBI Arrests Nigerian ‘Tech Queen’ Sapphire Egemasi Over Multi-Million Dollar U.S. Fraud Scheme

A 22-year-old Nigerian software programmer, Sapphire Egemasi, popularly known on social media as the “tech queen,” has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over her alleged role in a multi-million dollar internet fraud and money laundering scheme targeting several U.S. government agencies.

Egemasi was picked up on April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York, alongside her alleged Ghanaian co-conspirators, including the suspected ring leader, Samuel Kwadwo Osei. Their arrest followed a federal grand jury indictment covering fraudulent activities committed between September 2021 and February 2023.

Court documents reveal that Egemasi’s role in the fraud syndicate involved designing spoof websites of U.S. government agencies to harvest login credentials, and helping reroute stolen funds into accounts controlled by the network. She reportedly lived in Cambridge, United Kingdom, before her arrest, and is believed to have met her collaborators during a stay in Ghana.

Prosecutors stated that the syndicate successfully stole and rerouted over $1.2 million, including $965,000 from the city of Kentucky, which was funneled into a PNC Bank account, and an additional $330,000 to Bank of America.

To mask the origins of her wealth, Egemasi falsely claimed to have worked with companies such as British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara, mostly in “internship” roles. On LinkedIn, she often showcased an opulent lifestyle with pictures from exotic destinations including Greece and Portugal—a lifestyle now alleged to have been funded by criminal proceeds.

The U.S. government cited national security concerns, and all defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison, heavy fines, and possible deportation after serving their sentences. The trial is set to hold in Lexington, Kentucky, where the fraud reportedly occurred.