FBI arrests’Tech Queen’over multi-million dollar fraud

The FBI has arrested Nigerian tech enthusiast Sapphire Egemasi over her alleged role in a sophisticated fraud ring that defrauded multiple U.S. government agencies of millions of dollars.

Egemasi, known online as the ‘tech queen,’ was arrested around April 10, 2025, in Bronx, New York, alongside Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei, who authorities believe led the cybercrime syndicate.

According to a 2024 federal grand jury indictment, Egemasi and her co-conspirators orchestrated a widespread internet fraud and money laundering scheme between September 2021 and February 2023, targeting entities like the city of Kentucky.

Investigators say Egemasi played a central role as the syndicate’s tech lead. “Her role, investigators say, involved designing spoof websites impersonating official US government domains to steal login credentials and facilitate the transfer of stolen funds.”

Authorities revealed that in August 2022 alone, the group rerouted $965,000 from Kentucky to a PNC Bank account and another $330,000 into a Bank of America account.

Before her arrest, Egemasi reportedly operated from Cambridge, United Kingdom, though officials believe she previously resided in Ghana, where she likely established ties with the syndicate.

“To conceal the origins of her wealth, Egemasi reportedly claimed to have held multiple roles, mostly internships, at major multinational companies, including British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara.”

On social media, she flaunted an impressive digital resume and a lavish lifestyle. “Her social media profiles featured photos of lavish vacations to destinations like Greece and Portugal, funded, according to prosecutors, through illicit proceeds.”

Egemasi is being held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky, pending trial. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison, financial penalties, and deportation.