Busted! Nigerian ‘Tech Queen’ Nabbed in $1.3M U.S. Government Fraud Scheme

A Nigerian tech expert, Sapphire Egemasi, popularly known online as the “Tech Queen,” has been arrested by the FBI for her alleged involvement in a major fraud scheme targeting U.S. government agencies.

Egemasi, a programmer with a public Devpost profile, was taken into custody in the Bronx, New York, on April 10, 2025. She was arrested alongside several suspected accomplices, including Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei, believed to be the mastermind behind the operation.

The arrest stems from a federal grand jury indictment issued in 2024, which charged the group with multiple counts of wire fraud and money laundering. The alleged crimes took place between September 2021 and February 2023.

Prosecutors allege that the group defrauded the state of Kentucky of millions of dollars by creating fake websites that closely resembled official U.S. government portals. These lookalike platforms were reportedly used to steal login credentials and divert funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.

Egemasi allegedly played a key technical role, designing the fraudulent sites and orchestrating financial transfers. In just August 2022, investigators say the group funneled $965,000 into a PNC Bank account and another $330,000 into a Bank of America account.

Prior to her arrest, Egemasi was reportedly based in Cambridge, UK, but authorities believe she previously resided in Ghana, where she may have built links with the network.

To conceal the source of her wealth, Egemasi allegedly fabricated credentials, claiming to have interned with companies like British Petroleum, Zara, and H&M. Her LinkedIn profile presented her as a polished tech professional, while her social media highlighted luxury vacations to places such as Greece and Portugal — trips federal agents believe were funded through fraudulent means.

She and her co-defendants are currently being held in federal custody and are expected to stand trial in Lexington, Kentucky. If found guilty, they could each face up to 20 years in prison, significant financial penalties, and possible deportation after serving their time.