The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced the capture of six fugitives on its Most Wanted Fraudsters list, alongside a major international crackdown on scam networks that the bureau says has resulted in approximately $17 billion in seizures.
FBI Director Kash Patel disclosed the developments in separate posts on his official X account on Sunday, October 25, 2026, highlighting the agency’s efforts to track down alleged fraudsters and dismantle criminal networks operating across international borders.
According to Patel, the six captured fugitives had collectively spent more than 4,000 days evading law enforcement across four continents. Cases associated with the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list involve more than $2 billion in alleged fraud.
FBI Releases Names of Six Captured Fraudsters
The six individuals identified in the report are:
- Manjit Singh Bedi
- Elaine Agene Esco
- Khalid Ahmed Satary
- Herbert Leon Kimble
- Sahid Abdullahi Ereg
- Emylee Thai
The FBI has pursued these individuals in connection with alleged fraud schemes involving public funds, healthcare programmes and other financial crimes. The cases differ in nature and scale, and the allegations against each individual are case-specific.
Patel said the arrests demonstrated that suspects could not evade American law enforcement simply by leaving the United States and hiding overseas.
Operation Blackout Targets International Scam Networks
In a separate update, Patel said Operation Blackout had resulted in the seizure of nearly $17 billion, the arrest of hundreds of alleged scammers and the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.
The operation targets international scam centres accused of defrauding victims, including Americans, through sophisticated online schemes.
According to the FBI director, the agency and its partners have also warned more than 10,000 Americans before they lost money, helping to prevent an estimated $670 million in financial losses.
The campaign has involved raids on suspected scam facilities, disruption of online infrastructure used for fraud and investigations into criminal networks that allegedly exploit trafficked people by forcing them to participate in fraudulent activities.
FBI Vows to Continue International Pursuit
Patel said the FBI would continue working with international law enforcement agencies to identify suspects, disrupt their financial networks and pursue those accused of defrauding victims.
He stressed that criminals operating across national borders should not assume they are beyond the reach of justice.
The operation underscores the growing international effort to combat cybercrime and financial fraud, particularly as criminal groups increasingly use digital platforms to target victims in different countries.
However, the reported $17 billion seizure figure relates to the wider operation and should not be confused with the more than $2 billion in alleged fraud associated with the six fugitives’ cases. The figures describe different aspects of the FBI’s enforcement efforts.
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