The FBI has arrested Nigerian-born Sapphire Egemasi, popularly known as the “Tech Queen” over her alleged role in a sophisticated fraud scheme that defrauded U.S. government agencies of millions of dollars.
Egemasi, whose flashy lifestyle and “girl in tech” persona earned her thousands of followers online, was arrested in April 2025 in the Bronx, New York. She was nabbed alongside multiple co-conspirators, including Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei, identified by authorities as the ringleader of the cybercrime syndicate.
According to federal investigators, the group operated a highly organized internet fraud and money laundering network that ran from September 2021 to February 2023. At the heart of the scheme were fake government websites used to harvest login credentials from unsuspecting victims. These credentials were then exploited to steal large sums of public funds from U.S. institutions.
Federal documents reveal that in 2022 alone, the group successfully diverted over $965,000 and $330,000; both from accounts linked to the city of Kentucky, into bank accounts opened at PNC Bank and Bank of America.
Dubbed the tech brain of the operation, Egemasi is believed to have used her digital skills to build and manage phishing websites, conceal money trails, and transfer illicit funds to accounts under the syndicate’s control. Originally residing in Cambridge, UK, Egemasi reportedly met members of the network in Ghana before expanding her activities to the U.S. and Nigeria.
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To mask the origins of her wealth, she allegedly fabricated credentials, falsely claiming to have interned with global giants like BP, H&M, and Zara. On social media, she paraded herself as a successful tech entrepreneur, frequently posting glamorous photos from luxury vacations in Greece, Portugal, and beyond, fueling a carefully curated image of legitimacy.
Currently held in Lexington, Kentucky, Egemasi and her co-defendants are awaiting trial on multiple counts of wire fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison, substantial financial penalties, and potential deportation.
U.S. prosecutors have described the case as one of the most elaborate tech-driven fraud operations targeting public funds in recent years. It highlights growing concerns about the role of transnational cybercrime networks operating between Nigeria, Ghana, and the United States.