FBI arrests Nigerian ‘tech queen’ Sapphire Egemasi in $1.3M heist targeting U.S. government

The FBI has arrested Nigerian programmer and self-proclaimed “tech queen” Sapphire Egemasi in a modest Bronx apartment, a far cry from the luxury lifestyle she portrayed online.

The arrest capped a two-year international investigation into an audacious fraud scheme that siphoned millions from U.S. government agencies, exposing critical vulnerabilities in municipal payment systems.

According to court documents unsealed in the Southern District of New York, Sapphire Egemasi allegedly designed at least 17 spoofed websites that perfectly mimicked official government portals, including Kentucky’s property tax payment system.

According to investigations, these weren’t amateur copies, they featured SSL certificates, responsive mobile designs, and even fake customer service chatbots. Cybersecurity experts consulted for this report noted the sites were so convincing that they bypassed standard fraud detection systems for months.

Investigators also found that Egemasi’s team:

• Created fake employee profiles on government portals to approve fraudulent transactions

• Used voice-altering software to pose as officials in verification calls

• Laundered portions of the stolen funds through cryptocurrency and shell companies

Sapphire Egemasi: From tech star to fugitive

Sapphire Egemasii’s fall from grace is particularly striking given her once-promising career. Before her arrest, she was a rising star in Africa’s tech scene, with features in publications like TechCabal and speaking slots at major conferences. Her LinkedIn profile—now deleted—boasted endorsements from legitimate tech leaders and listed internships at companies like British Petroleum.

But federal investigators allege this was all part of the con. Financial records show that while Sapphire Egemasi posted Instagram photos from five-star Dubai hotels (geotagged at the Burj Al Arab in December 2024), she was simultaneously renting servers under fake names to host the fraudulent sites.

The global money trail

The international scope of the operation has become a case study in modern cybercrime. While Sapphire Egemasi was living in the U.K., her alleged co-conspirator Samuel Kwadwo Osei operated from Ghana, using a network of money mules across Europe to withdraw stolen funds.

Bank records reveal:

• $965,000 transferred to a PNC Bank account in August 2022

• $330,000 deposited at a Bank of America branch the same month

• Smaller sums funneled through cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance

Perhaps most brazenly, the group allegedly used some of the stolen money to invest in legitimate tech startups, a move prosecutors say was intended to further launder funds while bolstering Egemasi’s credibility.

Wake-Up call for cybersecurity

The case has sent shockwaves through government IT departments. Kentucky’s CIO admitted to reporters that the state’s payment systems lacked basic safeguards like multi-factor authentication, a vulnerability Sapphire Egemasi’s team allegedly exploited.

In response:

• The Department of Homeland Security has issued new guidelines for municipal payment portals

• 14 states have launched emergency security audits

• Congress is considering legislation to standardize government website verification

What’s next for Sapphire Egemasi?

Sapphire Egemasi currently faces seven counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering, with potential sentences totaling over 100 years. Her defense team has hinted they may argue she was coerced by Osei’s syndicate, but prosecutors claim encrypted chat logs show her enthusiastic participation.

As the case unfolds, it serves as a stark reminder: in our digital age, the line between tech visionary and criminal hacker can be frighteningly thin.  The Bit Gazette will keep an eye on developments.