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Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian tech enthusiast with a strong online presence, has been taken into custody by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in connection with a sophisticated fraud operation targeting several U.S. government entities.
Egemasi, known for her programming skills and activity on platforms like Devpost, was arrested in early April 2025 in the Bronx, New York. She was apprehended alongside other individuals believed to be involved in the scheme, including alleged ringleader Samuel Kwadwo Osei.
The arrests follow a 2024 indictment by a federal grand jury, which accuses the group of engaging in widespread internet fraud and money laundering. The crimes are alleged to have occurred between September 2021 and February 2023.
According to federal investigators, Egemasi and her Ghanaian accomplices orchestrated a multi-million-dollar scam that defrauded entities in Kentucky. Egemasi is believed to have played a critical role as the group's lead technologist, developing counterfeit websites designed to mimic official U.S. government domains. These spoofed sites were used to harvest login information and aid in the illicit transfer of funds.
Authorities report that prior to her arrest, Egemasi was based in Cambridge, UK, though she is thought to have spent time in Ghana—where she may have formed connections with her co-conspirators.
Text messages reviewed by investigators suggest that in August 2022 alone, the group redirected $965,000 stolen from Kentucky into a PNC Bank account. Around the same period, another $330,000 allegedly ended up in a Bank of America account.
To obscure the source of her wealth, Egemasi reportedly claimed employment history at major global firms such as British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara—roles which prosecutors say were mostly fabricated or exaggerated internships.
Egemasi gained popularity online under the moniker “tech queen,” curating a polished image on LinkedIn where she advertised her digital expertise. Prosecutors allege that she “flaunted a luxurious lifestyle” on social media, sharing photos from expensive getaways to places like Portugal and Greece—trips they claim were financed with proceeds from the fraud.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to build their case against the syndicate.
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