FBI Captures Six Most-Wanted Fraudsters After International Manhunt

The six individuals are Manjit Singh Bedi, Elaine Agene Escoe, Khalid Ahmed Satary, Herbert Leon Kimble, Said Abdullahi Ereg and Emylee Thai. They were wanted in connection with different alleged fraud schemes involving public funds, healthcare payments, food assistance and government relief programmes.

Their arrests took place in different countries, including India, Jamaica, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United States. The cases demonstrate how suspects facing criminal charges can be pursued internationally when they leave the country where they are wanted.

The FBI says the six cases involve more than $2 billion in alleged fraud. Collectively, the suspects spent more than 4,000 days on the run. However, the amount represents the alleged fraud connected to their cases, not a confirmed amount of money recovered from the six individuals.

It is also important to understand that the Most Wanted Fraudsters list is different from the FBI’s well-known Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

The fraudsters list was created specifically to draw public attention to major fraud cases and help authorities locate people wanted in connection with those allegations.

Who Are the Six Captured Fraudsters?

1. Manjit Singh Bedi

Manjit Singh Bedi was wanted over an alleged scheme involving the United States food assistance programme known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Bedi operated a grocery store in Tacoma, Washington. Investigators alleged that between March 2024 and June 2025, he used customers’ food assistance benefit cards to carry out transactions that did not involve the sale of eligible food. Instead, he allegedly gave customers cash and kept a portion of the money for himself.

The alleged scheme cost the United States government at least $600,000. Bedi was charged in connection with the case and was allowed to remain out of custody under conditions that included surrendering his passport and staying within Washington state.

He later left the United States and travelled to India. Authorities arrested him there in September 2026, and he was subsequently returned to the United States to face the charges.

Bedi has pleaded not guilty to the allegations. His case will be determined through the legal process, and the allegations should not be treated as a conviction.

2. Elaine Agene Escoe

Elaine Agene Escoe was wanted in connection with an alleged scheme to obtain more than $32 million in COVID-19 relief funding.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States government introduced financial assistance programmes to help businesses and workers affected by the crisis. These programmes were intended to support legitimate businesses, protect jobs and help people survive a period of serious economic difficulty.

Investigators alleged that Escoe and other people involved in the scheme submitted applications containing false information to obtain money through several federal relief programmes. The alleged applications included false claims about businesses, payroll, revenue and operations.

The money was allegedly obtained through programmes that included the Paycheck Protection Program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and other forms of pandemic-related assistance.

After criminal charges were brought against her, Escoe failed to appear for a court hearing and left the United States for Jamaica. Jamaican authorities later arrested her, and she was returned to the United States in July 2026.

She faces charges connected to alleged wire fraud and money laundering. The charges remain allegations to be resolved through the courts.

3. Khalid Ahmed Satary

Khalid Ahmed Satary was wanted in connection with an alleged healthcare fraud scheme involving approximately $547 million.

The case centres on diagnostic testing laboratories that allegedly billed Medicare for expensive genetic tests that were not medically necessary. Medicare is a United States health insurance programme that provides coverage primarily to older people and certain people with disabilities.

Investigators alleged that Satary operated several diagnostic testing laboratories and worked with patient recruiters, telemarketing operations and other parties to obtain genetic testing samples. The alleged arrangement involved improper payments and incentives to generate tests for which Medicare could be billed.

Genetic testing can be useful when doctors need to understand a person’s risk of certain diseases or make decisions about treatment. However, unnecessary tests can waste public healthcare funds and expose patients to medical procedures that may not benefit them.

Satary was charged in connection with the alleged scheme in 2019. After being released on bond, he left the United States and remained outside the country for several years.

He was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list in June 2026 and was apprehended in the United Arab Emirates in July. He is expected to face the legal process over the allegations.

4. Herbert Leon Kimble

Herbert Leon Kimble was wanted in connection with a major alleged fraud scheme involving telemedicine and durable medical equipment.

Telemedicine allows patients to consult healthcare professionals remotely, including through phone or video calls. Durable medical equipment includes items such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and other equipment used to support patients with medical needs.

The case involves allegations of a scheme valued at approximately $1.2 billion. Kimble was accused of being involved in a large operation that used healthcare-related services and equipment claims to obtain money improperly.

His case also involved allegations connected to failing to appear for court proceedings. Authorities were looking for him after he became a fugitive.

Kimble was apprehended in the Philippines on 8 June 2026, only a few days after the FBI launched its Most Wanted Fraudsters list. His arrest was one of the early successes of the new initiative.

The case illustrates the financial scale that alleged healthcare fraud can reach. When false claims are submitted on a large scale, public funds intended to support patients and legitimate healthcare providers can be diverted away from their intended purpose.

The allegations against Kimble must still be distinguished from any findings that may ultimately be made by a court.

5. Said Abdullahi Ereg

Said Abdullahi Ereg was wanted over an alleged fraud scheme involving money intended to provide meals for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The programme was designed to help ensure that children in need could receive food during a period when many families and communities were facing serious challenges.

Investigators alleged that Ereg operated a grocery and deli business in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which participated in a child nutrition programme. Between April 2020 and April 2021, the business allegedly claimed to have served more than 1.4 million meals to children and received over $4.2 million in payments for those meals.

Authorities alleged that the meals claimed in the programme were not actually provided as reported and that much of the money was transferred for personal use or moved through other accounts.

Ereg was wanted on federal charges involving wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. He surrendered to authorities in Minnesota on 10 June 2026, less than a week after his name was added to the FBI’s new list.

The case highlights the importance of protecting public programmes created to support vulnerable people. Money intended to feed children is supposed to meet a basic need, and alleged misuse of such funding can affect families who depend on those services.

6. Emylee Thai

Emylee Thai was the sixth person whose capture was announced as part of the FBI’s successful pursuit of its Most Wanted Fraudsters.

Thai, a laboratory owner, was wanted in connection with an alleged healthcare fraud scheme involving genetic testing and Medicare payments. Investigators alleged that her laboratory billed Medicare approximately $142 million for genetic testing and received around $95 million on those claims.

The allegations involved testing that was said to be medically unnecessary and, in many cases, not used in patients’ medical treatment. Investigators also alleged that Thai worked with marketers who referred patients and doctors’ orders to the laboratory in exchange for a share of the payments.

Thai was arrested and released under pretrial conditions, including electronic location monitoring. Authorities later discovered that her monitoring device had been removed and were unable to locate her. She was subsequently charged with offences connected to tampering with the monitoring device and the destruction or alteration of records in a federal investigation.

Investigators determined that she had left the United States and travelled to Vietnam using a false identity. She was captured there in September 2026 after being on the run for several years.

Her case raises concerns about alleged abuse of public healthcare funding and the challenges authorities face when defendants leave the country while facing criminal proceedings.

How Were the Six People Found?

The arrests involved cooperation between American investigators and law enforcement agencies in other countries. When a person wanted in the United States is believed to be hiding abroad, investigators may work with local authorities to establish the person’s location and take the necessary legal steps to bring the individual into custody.

The six cases show that leaving the United States does not automatically end a criminal investigation or prevent authorities from pursuing a suspect. International cooperation can help identify fugitives, carry out arrests and arrange their return to face charges.

The FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list is intended to support this process by making information about selected suspects more widely available. Public attention can help investigators receive useful information about a person’s whereabouts, particularly when a suspect has been hiding for a long period.

The arrests also show that fraud cases can involve different kinds of public money. Some concern food assistance, others involve emergency support for businesses, and others focus on healthcare payments. Although the programmes are different, the allegations share a common concern about whether money was obtained through false claims or improper arrangements.

Does the Capture Mean the Six Have Been Found Guilty?

No. Being captured does not mean that a person has been convicted of a crime.

An arrest means that authorities have taken someone into custody in connection with a legal case. The person may still have to appear before a court, respond to the charges, challenge the evidence and go through the required legal process.

Some of the cases involve allegations that were already set out in indictments, while others also involve accusations of failing to appear in court or violating release conditions. The exact charges differ from one person to another.

The principle of presumption of innocence remains important. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless and until guilt is established through the legal process. The financial figures linked to these cases should therefore be described as alleged fraud, not as proven wrongdoing in every instance.

FBI’s Wider Crackdown on International Scam Networks

The announcement about the six fraudsters came alongside a wider effort known as Operation Blackout, which targets international scam networks and related criminal activity.

The operation focuses on disrupting organised fraud, identifying people involved in scam centres, tracing financial flows and helping victims. Some scam centres operate across borders and may use online platforms, phone calls or deceptive investment offers to target people in different countries.

The FBI has reported nearly $17 billion in seizures connected to the broader crackdown. This figure is separate from the more than $2 billion in alleged fraud associated with the six captured Most Wanted Fraudsters. The two amounts should not be confused, as they refer to different parts of the wider enforcement effort.

The operation has also involved arrests, electronic devices seized during investigations and efforts to identify people who may have been forced or trafficked into working in scam operations. These activities demonstrate that international fraud can involve both financial crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

The wider campaign is intended to disrupt the systems that allow scam operations to continue, rather than focusing only on individual suspects.

What the Arrests Mean for International Fraud Investigations

The capture of the six individuals represents a significant milestone for the FBI’s new fraudster list. It demonstrates how publicity, international cooperation and continued investigations can help authorities locate people who have spent years outside the reach of the courts.

The cases also highlight the importance of protecting public funds. Government assistance programmes, food support and healthcare funding are created to serve specific needs. Alleged fraud involving these programmes can reduce the resources available to people who depend on them.

However, the final outcomes will depend on the legal proceedings in each case. Authorities must present their evidence, the defendants must have the opportunity to respond, and courts must determine the relevant facts and legal responsibility.

The larger message is that cross-border movement does not necessarily provide a permanent escape from criminal charges. International investigations can continue long after a suspect leaves the country, and cooperation between law enforcement agencies can make it possible to bring cases back before the courts.

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Editorial note: The writer of this article does not claim to know the individuals named personally. The information regarding their backgrounds and the allegations in their cases, as published on Global News Arena, is based on independent research. All criminal allegations should be distinguished from convictions, and the individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

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