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By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
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The FBI has added three alleged fraud suspects to its recently launched Most Wanted Fraudsters list, expanding a bureau initiative designed to spotlight individuals accused of major financial crimes and encourage public tips that could lead to arrests.
The latest additions, which FBI Director Kash Patel announced on September 3, are Manjit Singh Bedi, Onur Simsek and Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, each of whom is wanted in connection with separate alleged fraud schemes.
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The additions come as the FBI increases its focus on large-scale fraud cases.
Patel said the bureau had already apprehended four individuals allegedly responsible for nearly $2 billion in fraud and returned them to the United States to face justice after they had spent a combined 3,500 days, or roughly nine and a half years, on the run.
Who Are the Three New Additions?
Manjit Singh Bedi
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Bedi is wanted for allegedly defrauding the U.S. government of at least $600,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds between 2024 and 2025. Prosecutors allege he carried out the scheme through a Tacoma, Washington, grocery store he operated, fraudulently processing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) transactions and keeping the proceeds for himself.
Authorities say Bedi fled the United States and was believed to be in India. He was charged with wire fraud and other offenses and remained a fugitive for nearly a year.
In a significant development, the FBI announced that Bedi has now been arrested in India, making him the fifth individual featured on the bureau's Most Wanted Fraudsters List to be captured. The FBI said the arrest was linked to the alleged SNAP fraud scheme.
Commenting on the arrest, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said: "As this arrest in India shows, the Justice Department's reach extends to every corner of the planet. The DOJ Fraud Section will continue to work hand-in-hand with the FBI to ensure fraudsters like Bedi are held accountable, no matter where they hide."
Bernhard Eugen Fritsch
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Fritsch is wanted in connection with an alleged investment fraud scheme involving his technology company, StarClub Inc.
According to the FBI, Fritsch raised approximately $35 million from investors between 2014 and 2017 while misrepresenting the company's financial performance and business prospects. Federal authorities allege that at least $7.3 million of investor funds were diverted to cover personal expenses, including mortgage payments, housing costs, and luxury vehicles. Fritsch was convicted of wire fraud in California in April 2025.
Prosecutors say Fritsch fled to Mexico before a post-conviction hearing in June 2025.
After he was detained by Mexican authorities and found carrying false identification, he was released from immigration custody and ordered to regularly check in with an immigration court. The FBI says he later fled to Munich, Germany. In October 2025, Fritsch was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in federal prison, fined $35,000, and ordered to pay more than $26.8 million in restitution.
Onur Simsek
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Simsek, a Turkish national believed to be living in Turkey, is accused of participating in a scheme to fraudulently secure Department of Defense contracts for critical military components. According to the FBI, Simsek and his alleged co-conspirators used a front company between 2019 and 2022 to obtain the contracts by misrepresenting their capabilities to U.S. officials, then transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to Turkey through international wire transactions. Simsek has been a fugitive since 2023 and faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, wire fraud, and money laundering.
What Is The Newest FBI Most Wanted List?
The Most Wanted Fraudsters list is the FBI's newest official wanted program.
Launched on June 4, 2026, it’s designed to highlight fugitives accused of significant fraud offenses that have caused substantial financial harm to victims, businesses, or government programs.
In the official press release announcing the new list, Patel said: "Today we are launching the vice president’s historic initiative of the 'Most Wanted Fraudsters' list, representing some of the alleged worst of the worst who stole millions in taxpayer money—allowing federal law enforcement to mobilize the full weight of law enforcement to bring these individuals and more to justice."
The list currently includes individuals wanted in connection with a range of alleged crimes, including health care fraud, pandemic relief fraud, investor fraud and government benefits fraud.
How Many Most Wanted Lists Does The FBI Have?
According to the FBI, the bureau now maintains three officially sanctioned Most Wanted lists.
They are:
- Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, established in 1950.
- Most Wanted Terrorists, established after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
- Most Wanted Fraudsters, launched in June 2026.
Key Takeaway
The FBI National Press Office statement said the newest, fraud-focused list was created to show the agency's commitment to pursuing major financial criminals while also warning the public about individuals accused of carrying out significant fraud schemes.
The FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters page currently features 12 individuals, with Simsek and Fritsch among the latest names added as federal authorities continue seeking tips from the public.
Newsweek has contacted the DOJ Office of Public Affairs by email for comment.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: John Fitzpatrick and Tony Phillips.
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