FBI Arrests Nigerian “Tech Queen” for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud

Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian software developer known online as a “tech queen,” was arrested by the FBI in April 2025, according to People Gazette. She faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. authorities say she and her team stole millions from American government agencies.

Until recently, Egemasi lived in Cambridge, England. She met her co-conspirators, mostly from Ghana, while she was working in West Africa. Around April 10, 2025, FBI agents arrested her in the Bronx, New York.

Officials say she built fake websites that looked like real U.S. government portals. These fake sites tricked users into typing their login details. The group used those details to access government accounts in Kentucky.

Court papers show the fraud happened from September 2021 to February 2023. In August 2022 alone, the group moved $965,000 from Kentucky’s government into a PNC Bank account. At the same time, they sent $330,000 into a Bank of America account. Egemasi helped move the stolen money into other accounts controlled by the group.

On LinkedIn and other social media, Egemasi posted photos of luxury trips to Greece, Portugal, and other places. Investigators say these vacations were paid for with stolen money. She also listed short-term roles at big companies like British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara. Prosecutors believe these claims were meant to hide where her income really came from.

Charges and Next Steps

A federal grand jury in Kentucky charged Egemasi and several others with internet fraud and money laundering. One co-defendant, Samuel Kwadwo Osei, is believed to be the ring leader.

All suspects are now in custody in Lexington, Kentucky. If convicted, each could face 20 years in prison, large fines, and deportation after serving their sentence.