Nigerian tech influencer Sapphire Egemasi is facing a potential prison sentence of over 20 years following her arrest by the FBI for allegedly orchestrating a multi-million dollar fraud scheme targeting various U.S. government agencies.
Egemasi, known for her glamorous online persona as a “tech queen,” was apprehended around April 10, 2025, in the Bronx, New York. She was arrested alongside several alleged accomplices, including Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei, who is believed to have led the operation.
Their arrests followed an indictment issued by a federal grand jury last year, charging the group with internet fraud and money laundering related to offenses committed between September 2021 and February 2023.
Court filings reviewed by Peoples Gazette reveal that Egemasi played a key role in the scheme by creating and registering fake websites that mimicked legitimate U.S. government portals. These fraudulent sites were used to harvest login credentials, enabling the theft of large sums of public funds.
Originally based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, Egemasi is believed to have connected with her co-conspirators while living in Ghana. She later served as the syndicate’s tech specialist, helping move stolen funds through a web of accounts in the U.S. and Nigeria.
Evidence presented by prosecutors includes text messages indicating that the group rerouted nearly $1 million—$965,000—stolen from the city of Kentucky to a PNC Bank account in August 2022. In another instance, $330,000 was funneled into a Bank of America account during the same timeframe.
To disguise the origins of her wealth, Egemasi reportedly claimed to have held internships at prominent firms like British Petroleum, H&M, and Zara. However, federal authorities assert these claims were part of an effort to legitimize her financial profile.
Despite her online image as a successful tech professional, complete with photos from luxury trips to destinations like Greece and Portugal, officials allege her lavish lifestyle was funded through fraud.
Egemasi and her alleged partners are currently being held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky. If convicted, each defendant could face up to two decades behind bars, steep fines, and eventual deportation after serving their sentence.
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