The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Nigerian tech enthusiast, Sapphire Egemasi, in connection with a sophisticated multi-million dollar fraud scheme targeting several U.S. government agencies.
Egemasi, who is known for her presence on developer platforms like Devpost, was taken into custody in April in the Bronx, New York. She was arrested alongside several alleged co-conspirators, including Samuel Kwadwo Osei, who authorities believe to be the ringleader of the fraud syndicate.
The arrests follow a 2024 federal grand jury indictment that charged the group with multiple counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, and money laundering. The alleged criminal activities are said to have taken place between September 2021 and February 2023.
Federal investigators claim the syndicate orchestrated a large-scale scam that defrauded the state of Kentucky of millions of dollars. Egemasi’s specific role, according to court documents, included creating fake websites designed to mimic official U.S. government portals. These spoof sites were used to steal login credentials and facilitate the unauthorized transfer of public funds.
Evidence presented by investigators includes text message records showing that in August 2022, approximately $965,000 stolen from the Kentucky state government was funneled into a PNC Bank account controlled by the syndicate. Another transaction around the same time saw $330,000 deposited into a Bank of America account.
Egemasi and her co-accused are currently in federal custody awaiting trial in Lexington, Kentucky.
If convicted, Egemasi faces up to 20 years in federal prison, substantial monetary fines, and eventual deportation to Nigeria after serving her sentence.
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