Nigerian programmer Sapphire Egemasi, known online as “tech queen”, faces over 20 years in prison after the FBI arrested her for allegedly helping defraud U.S government agencies of multi millions of dollars.
Egemasi was taken into custody in April 2025 in Bronx, New York, alongside other suspects, including Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo osei, believed to be the leader of the fraud ring.
The charges stem from a federal indictment for internet fraud and money laundering, with crimes said to have occurred between September 2021 and February 2023.
Court documents allege that Egemasi’s role was to create fake U.S government websites to steal log in credentials, which were then used to divert public funds.
She also reportedly helped transfer stolen money into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Investigators say the group rerouted $965,000 and $330,000 – both stolen from the city of Kentucky – into accounts at PNC Bank of America in 2022.
Egemasi, who previously lived in Cambridge, UK, is believed to have met her co-conspirators in Ghana years ago. She later became the syndicate’s tech specialist, operating across the U.S. and Nigeria. To conceal the source of her income, she claimed to have interned at companies like BP, H&M, and Zara.
Known for her flashy online presence, Egemasi often posted photos of expensive trips to countries like Greece and Portugal presenting a life of success fuelled by tech experience.
She and her co-defendants are currently being held in Lexington, Kentucky, awaiting trial. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison, steep fines, and possible deportation.
-9News Nigeria.
