Sapphire Egemasi, a Nigerian technology enthusiast known for her activity on the developer platform Devpost, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in April in the Bronx, New York. She faces allegations of participating in a large-scale fraud scheme targeting multiple U.S. government agencies. Egemasi was arrested alongside Samuel Kwadwo Osei, who is considered the mastermind of the operation. The arrests followed a federal grand jury indictment issued in 2024, charging the group with multiple counts related to internet fraud and money laundering.
Investigations revealed that between September 2021 and February 2023, Egemasi played a significant role by creating counterfeit websites resembling official U.S. government portals to steal login credentials. These credentials were then used to redirect stolen funds into various accounts. Notably, in August 2022, approximately $965,000 was siphoned from the city of Kentucky into a PNC Bank account, and another $330,000 was transferred into a Bank of America account.
Egemasi and her co-accused are currently in federal custody, awaiting trial in Lexington, Kentucky. If convicted, she could face up to 20 years in prison, substantial fines, and potential deportation upon completion of her sentence.
