A Nigerian tech enthusiast popularly known online as the “Tech Queen,” Sapphire Egemasi, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for her alleged involvement in a large-scale fraud scheme targeting U.S. government agencies.
Egemasi, a programmer with an active presence on Devpost, was detained around April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York. Among those arrested alongside her was Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei, identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate.
The arrests stem from a federal grand jury indictment filed in 2024, which charged the group with multiple counts of internet fraud and money laundering. Prosecutors allege that the crimes occurred between September 2021 and February 2023.
The group reportedly defrauded the state of Kentucky of millions of dollars by creating counterfeit websites resembling official U.S. government portals. These fake sites were used to steal login credentials and divert funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Authorities claim Egemasi acted as the technical lead, designing the fraudulent websites and managing the wire transfer operations. In August 2022 alone, the syndicate allegedly diverted \$965,000 into a PNC Bank account and \$330,000 into a Bank of America account.
Prior to her arrest, Egemasi was reportedly based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, but investigators believe she previously lived in Ghana, where she may have established connections with other members of the group.
To conceal the source of her wealth, Egemasi claimed on social media and professional platforms to have completed internships with multinational companies such as British Petroleum, H\&M, and Zara. Her LinkedIn profile projected the image of a successful tech professional, while her social media accounts showcased extravagant vacations to locations like Greece and Portugal—trips prosecutors allege were financed by illegal proceeds.
Egemasi and her co-defendants are currently held in federal custody, awaiting trial in Lexington, Kentucky. If found guilty, they each face up to 20 years in prison, substantial fines, and probable deportation after serving their sentences.