Nigeria: '$1.3m Fraud' - FBI Nabs Nigerian Programmer

Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian programmer known as the "Tech Queen," has been arrested by the FBI. She is linked to a multi-million dollar fraud scheme.

Egemasi was arrested for a $1.3 million fraud targeting US government agencies. The arrest took place in April 2025 in the Bronx, New York. She is accused of being part of a cybercrime syndicate that stole millions from public institutions.

Alongside her, Ghanaian national Samuel Kwadwo Osei was also arrested. Osei is believed to be the leader of this criminal ring.

Court filings state that Egemasi created fake US government websites. These sites were used to collect login credentials from officials. The stolen credentials allowed unauthorized access to government systems and redirected funds into their accounts.

Federal investigators reported that in 2022, the syndicate rerouted $965,000 and $330,000 from Kentucky's city funds. This theft occurred between September 2021 and February 2023 across multiple jurisdictions.

Egemasi previously lived in Cambridge, UK, and allegedly acted as the tech specialist for the group. She coordinated operations from both the US and Nigeria.

To hide her wealth's origins, Egemasi falsely claimed internships at major companies like BP and H&M.

She and her co-defendants are currently held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison along with hefty fines and possible deportation.