Sapphire Egemasi, a tech expert from Nigeria who is well-known for her lifestyle and online celebrity, was arrested in the US on suspicion of orchestrating a multimillion-dollar cyber fraud scheme.
Egemasi, also known as the “tech queen,” was arrested by FBI agents in New York in April 2025. She is charged with creating phony websites for the US government in order to obtain login credentials from unwary public servants. Her syndicate is accused of gaining access to government systems and diverting public funds into private accounts by using these stolen credentials.
Over $1.3 million is thought to have been stolen by the cybercrime ring between 2021 and 2023. Court documents specifically mention two transactions: a $330,000 transfer into a Bank of America account and a $965,000 transfer into a PNC Bank account.
According to federal authorities, Samuel Kwadwo Osei, a Ghanaian national who oversaw the global fraud scheme, was close to Egemasi. According to reports, she was the mastermind behind the scam’s technical aspect.
Investigators contend that the extravagant lifestyle was financed through fraud, despite her online persona of success and wealth, which frequently includes pictures of her wearing designer clothing and traveling to upscale locations.
While the legal process continues, Egemasi is being detained in Lexington, Kentucky. She could spend up to 20 years behind bars if convicted.
The case is still pending, and no public statements have been made in support of her thus far. Like all accused parties, Egemasi is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court as the investigation progresses.
