The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has captured six of its most-wanted fraud suspects across four continents, while its crackdown on international scam networks has led to the seizure of nearly $17bn, FBI Director Kash Patel has said.
Patel disclosed the developments in separate posts on his official X account on Sunday, highlighting the agency’s efforts to track down fugitives and dismantle criminal networks operating across borders.
According to him, the six suspects collectively spent more than 4,000 days on the run, while fraud cases associated with the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list involved more than $2bn.
Patel said the suspects had believed they could escape prosecution by leaving the United States and hiding overseas.
“They were wrong,” he wrote, adding that the FBI and its international partners would continue pursuing individuals accused of defrauding Americans, regardless of where they sought refuge.
The six suspects named in the update were Manjit Singh Bedi, Elaine Agene Esco, Khalid Ahmed Satary, Herbert Leon Kimble, Sahid Abdullahi Ereg and Emylee Thai.
In a separate update on Operation Blackout, the FBI director said the campaign had resulted in the seizure of nearly $17bn, the arrest of hundreds of alleged scammers and the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.
He added that more than 10,000 Americans had received warnings before losing money, helping to prevent 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 operations that exploit victims and target Americans through international fraud schemes.
The wider campaign has involved raids on suspected scam centres, disruption of online infrastructure allegedly used for fraud and efforts to identify people trafficked into working for criminal networks.
Patel said the FBI would continue collaborating with law enforcement agencies in other countries to dismantle the operations and bring those responsible to justice.
“To every criminal organization targeting Americans: Justice will find you,” he added.