Nigeria’s ‘Tech Queen’, Others To Face 20-Year Jail Term in FBI’s Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Case
- Internet fraud is increasing to worrisome heights in recent years, despite concerted efforts to clamp down on such activities
- A Nigerian known online as 'tech queen' has been arrested and is set to face prosecution for allegedly being part of a multi-million dollar fraud
- The FBI has unveiled details of several money laundering and frauds committed by the group over some years
Legit.ng journalist Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has over a decade of experience in business reporting across digital and mainstream media.
A Nigerian tech enthusiast, Sapphire Egemasi, may soon face up to 20 years' imprisonment in the United States of America for alleged involvement in a fraud case.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Egemasi for allegedly being involved in a large-scale fraudulent scheme and money laundering.
The scheme was alleged to have targeted multiple government agencies in the US and spanned at least three years.
Source: Getty Images
Innocent people all over the world have lost huge funds to the acts of fraudsters, and a recent report from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) shows that this may be over $9.3 billion in 2024.
Who is Sapphire Egemasi, aka 'tech queen'?
Sapphire Egemasi is a programmer who operates a Devpost account and is also alleged to have been part of a large-scale fraud syndicate.
Her last known address was reportedly in Cambridge, United Kingdom, but the FBI theorised that she may have met and established ties with co-conspirators when she lived in Ghana.
Egemasi is known online as ‘tech queen’ and has maintained an enviable digital presence, especially on LinkedIn, where she showcased her skills under the account name Chimemezu Sapphire Egemasi.
She also regularly posted pictures of a luxurious lifestyle and lavish vacations to different countries, something the FBI now alleges to have been funded by ill-gotten wealth.
Her profile also shows multiple international roles with multinational companies like Zara, H&M, and British Petroleum (BP).
Her LinkedIn profile also shows a role at AIESEC in Ghana between 2020 to 2021, and AIESEC in Cross River State, Nigeria between 2019 and 2020.
Nigeria’s tech queen arrested over alleged fraud
According to CABLE news, Egemasi and other members of the syndicate were arrested on 10 April 2025 in the Bronx, New York, along with the alleged leader of the group, Samuel Kwadwo Osei.
A federal grand jury indictment filed in 2024 charged the group with multiple counts of internet fraud and money laundering for crimes said to have occurred between September 2021 and February 2023.
They are being held in federal custody pending trial in Lexington, Kentucky, and could face up to 20 years in jail, heavy financial penalties, and subsequent deportation.
Source: UGC
FBI findings on the multi-million dollar fraud
The group was said to have conspired and defrauded the city of Kentucky of millions of dollars, according to the FBI.
As the tech lead in the group, Egemasi is alleged to have designed fake websites impersonating official US government domains, using them to steal login credentials.
With this information, the group facilitated the transfer of stolen funds from government accounts, wiring them into several accounts they controlled.
There are SMS records showing that in August 2022, the group rerouted $965,000 stolen from Kentucky into a PNC Bank account, and another $330,000 into an account with Bank of America.
Another Nigerian to face 20 years' imprisonment
Note that the FBI also arrested another Nigerian, Anas Said, for being the mastermind behind a terrorist attack on Nigerian soldiers in Borno State.
The FBI alleged that he was also planning another attack in Houston while providing material support to ISIS.
FBI arrests Nigerian monarch for alleged fraud
In related news, a Nigerian monarch, Joseph Oloyede, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, has been detained by the FBI.
Oloyede and his associate, Edward Oluwasanmi, are being charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering for their roles in a fraudulent COVID-19 relief scheme.
Legit.ng reported that the monarch’s absence for over a year led to growing unease in his community, particularly as he missed major cultural events, including the Egungun Festival and Edi Celebration.
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Source: Legit.ng
