*Faces 20 Years Jail, Deportation
THE United States’ (US) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a Nigerian programmer, popularly known as the “Tech Queen,” Sapphire Egemasi, over alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar fraud in the city of Kentucky.
Egemasi was said to have been arrested on April 10 in New York, alongside Samuel Kwadwo Osei, a Ghanaian who is believed to be the leader of the fraud group she was working with. Court filings said 28-year-old Egemasi created fake US government websites to harvest login credentials from officials, which were then used to gain unauthorised access to government systems and redirect funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Specifically, they are being accused of defrauding the city of Kentucky of millions of dollars through clone websites of US government portals they created and used to gather login details and redirect payment, including $965 000 and $330,000 stolen from the city of Kentucky into bank accounts at PNC Bank and Bank of America, respectively, in 2022.
The crimes are said to have occurred between September 2021 and February 2023, spanning multiple jurisdictions.
Egemasi, who previously lived in Cambridge, United Kingdom (UK), allegedly served as the group’s tech specialist, coordinating operations from both the US and Nigeria.
To disguise the origins of her wealth, she allegedly had falsely claimed internships at top companies, such as BP, H&M and Zara.
The accussed are being held in federal custody in Lexington, Kentucky, awaiting trial. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison, substantial fines, and possible deportation.
Egemasi, known among her social media followers, especially on LinkedIn, as a ‘tech queen,’ regularly flaunted her expensive lifestyle.
In recent years, she started posting pictures of her leisurely trips to different countries, including Greece, Portugal and other prime tourist destinations.
