FBI captures six fraud suspects, seizes $17bn

Abimbola Joseph

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has captured six fugitives on its Most Wanted Fraudsters list, while a separate international crackdown on scam centres has led to the seizure of nearly $17bn, FBI Director Kash Patel says.

In posts on X on Sunday, Patel said the six fugitives had been captured across four continents after spending more than 4,000 days on the run collectively. The cases against them involve more than $2bn in alleged fraud, he said.

Patel said the suspects had believed fleeing the United States would put them beyond the reach of American law enforcement.

“They were wrong,” he wrote, adding that the FBI and its international partners would continue pursuing people accused of defrauding Americans, regardless of where they were hiding.

In a separate update on Operation Blackout, the FBI’s global campaign against scam centres, Patel said authorities had seized nearly $17bn, arrested hundreds of alleged scammers and freed thousands of people trafficked into criminal operations.

He added that the campaign had helped warn more than 10,000 Americans about scams before they lost money, preventing an estimated $670m in financial losses.

“We’re not just investigating these criminal enterprises. We’re dismantling their networks, disrupting their finances, rescuing victims and holding those responsible accountable,” Patel said.

He described the scam centres as criminal enterprises that exploit victims and target Americans through international fraud schemes. He said the FBI would continue working with international partners to dismantle the networks and bring those responsible to justice.

“To every criminal organisation targeting Americans: Justice will find you,” he added.

Those captured suspects are: Manjit Singh Bedi; Elaine Agene Esco; Khalid Ahmed Satary; Herbert Leon Kimble; Sahid Abdullahi Ereg, and Emylee Thai.