The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested Nigerian tech entrepreneur Sapphire Egemasi for her alleged role in a large-scale internet fraud and money laundering scheme. Egemasi, widely known online as the “Tech Queen,” was taken into custody alongside several co-conspirators. They are currently being held in Lexington, Kentucky, and are awaiting trial.
according to U.S. authorities, Egemasi and her team ran a network of online scams. These scams targeted individuals and businesses across the United States.The FBI reports that the group used fake online identities to trick victims into sending money. These scams included romance fraud, phishing schemes, and business email compromise attacks. Investigators say the group laundered millions of dollars through fake companies and multiple bank accounts. This was done to hide the true source of the money.
Prosecutors believe the operation was carefully planned and ran over several years. It involved people both in the U.S. and Nigeria.The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kentucky is leading the case. If found guilty, Egemasi and her co-defendants each face up to 20 years in federal prison.They may also be required to pay heavy fines and return the stolen funds to the victims.
The Authorities continue to encourage the public to be cautious when interacting with strangers online. Suspicious activity can be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
Stay away from fraud