BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN ROSE
U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Nigeria’s Sapphire Egemasi, popularly known as ‘tech queen’ over multi-million dollar fraud.
Egemasi’s arrest is connected to a large-scale fraud scheme that targeted multiple US government agencies.
Egemasi, who operates a Devpost account, was arrested in April in Bronx, New York, alongside other co-conspirators, including Samuel Kwadwo Osei, who is reported to be the leader of the syndicate.
Their arrest followed a federal grand jury indictment filed in 2024, in which they were charged with multiple counts of internet fraud and money laundering for crimes said to have occurred between September 2021 and February 2023.
Egemasi and her co-defendants allegedly conspired to defraud the city of Kentucky of millions of dollars.
According to the investigator, Egemasi’s role in the syndicate involves designing fake websites impersonating official US government domains to steal login credentials and facilitating the transfer of stolen funds.
Text message records show that the syndicate rerouted $965,000 stolen from Kentucky into a PNC Bank account in August 2022.
In a separate transaction around the same time, $330,000 was funneled into a Bank of America account.
Although she was reportedly living in Cambridge, United Kingdom, before her arrest, U.S. authorities believe she had previously lived in Ghana, where she may have forged connections with her co-conspirators.
To hide the source of her money, Egemasi reportedly claimed to have completed internships at companies such as British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara.
She presented a polished image on LinkedIn, showcasing her skills and lifestyle. Prosecutors say her luxurious trips to places like Greece and Portugal were funded with proceeds from the scheme
Egemasi and her co-accused are currently in federal custody and are being held pending trial in Lexington, Kentucky.
If convicted, she will face up to 20 years in prison, significant financial penalties, and eventual deportation to their home countries upon completion of their sentences.
