An American-based Nigerian ICT expert, Sapphire Egemasi, has been arrested by U.S. authorities in connection with a sophisticated multi-million dollar fraud scheme targeting several U.S. government agencies.
Egemasi was taken into custody by law enforcement, along with several alleged accomplices, including the suspected ringleader, Samuel Kwadwo Osei.
The arrest, which took place in the Bronx, New York, follows a 2024 federal grand jury indictment charging the group with multiple cyber-related offenses, including internet fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Egemasi was a key player in the cybercrime operation which reportedly took place between September 2021 and February 2023.
Investigators claim she was responsible for creating fake websites that closely resembled official U.S. government platforms.
These websites were allegedly used to steal login credentials, which were then exploited to divert government funds into accounts controlled by the syndicate.
Court documents reveal that in August 2022, $965,000 was illicitly transferred from the state of Kentucky into a PNC Bank account under the syndicate’s control.
Around the same period, another $330,000 was moved into a Bank of America account through similar fraudulent means.
Egemasi, who maintained an online presence as a technology innovator on platforms such as Devpost, is accused of leveraging her skills to enable and support the fraudulent scheme.
The suspects are currently being held in federal custody and will face trial in Lexington, Kentucky.
If found guilty, she and her co-defendants in coming months could face up to 20 years in prison, significant fines, and eventual deportation to their countries of origin after serving their sentences.
The U.S. authorities have emphasized the seriousness of cyber fraud targeting government entities, warning that such crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
