Federal investigators have arrested Nigerian programmer Sapphire Egemasi widely known online as the “Tech Queen” on charges of orchestrating a multi‑million‑dollar cyber fraud scheme targeting U.S. government entities.
The FBI took her into custody on April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York, following a grand jury indictment issued in 2024 for internet fraud and money laundering.
Prosecutors allege that Egemasi was the technical mastermind behind a transnational syndicate led by Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei. Between September 2021 and February 2023, the group deployed sophisticated phishing tactics creating counterfeit U.S. government websites to harvest login credentials from municipal officials.
These credentials facilitated unauthorized access to government systems, enabling the syndicate to redirect millions of dollars into accounts they controlled.
Egemasi is alleged to have used these stolen funds to fund a lavish lifestyle, frequently showcased on LinkedIn and Instagram.