The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a Nigerian programmer, Sapphire Egemasi, popularly known as the “Tech Queen”, over her alleged involvement in a $1.3 million cyber fraud scheme targeting government agencies.
Egemasi, 28, was reportedly apprehended in April 2025 in the Bronx, New York, alongside a Ghanaian national, Samuel Kwadwo Osei, identified as the alleged leader of the syndicate, and several other co-conspirators.
According to court documents, Egemasi played a key role in a cybercrime syndicate that allegedly defrauded multiple U.S. public institutions by creating fake government websites designed to harvest login credentials from unsuspecting officials.
These credentials were then used to access government systems and redirect funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Federal investigators said the group succeeded in diverting $965,000 and $330,000—both stolen from the city of Kentucky in 2022—into accounts at PNC Bank and Bank of America.
The alleged crimes reportedly took place between September 2021 and February 2023, spanning multiple U.S. jurisdictions. Egemasi, who previously resided in Cambridge, United Kingdom, is believed to have acted as the syndicate’s technical brain, coordinating operations from both Nigeria and the United States.
In a bid to conceal the origin of her wealth, investigators said Egemasi falsely claimed to have interned at multinational companies including BP, H&M, and Zara.
She and her co-defendants are currently being held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky, where they await trial. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison, heavy fines, and potential deportation.
The FBI has reiterated its commitment to cracking down on cybercriminal networks that threaten the integrity of U.S. government systems and taxpayer funds.
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