The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has seized nearly $17bn in a global crackdown on scam networks and captured six of its most-wanted fraud suspects across four continents, according to its Director, Kash Patel.
Patel disclosed the developments in separate posts on his official X account on Sunday, highlighting the agency’s efforts to dismantle international fraud networks, arrest fugitives and rescue victims of human trafficking.
He said the six suspects on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list had collectively spent more than 4,000 days on the run, while the fraud cases linked to the list involved more than $2bn.
The suspects, he added, had believed that fleeing the United States and hiding abroad would shield them from prosecution.
“They were wrong,” Patel wrote, vowing that the FBI and its international partners would continue pursuing individuals accused of defrauding Americans, regardless of where they were hiding.
The six individuals listed by the FBI are 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 against international scam centres had led to the seizure of nearly $17bn, the arrest of hundreds of alleged scammers and the rescue of thousands of trafficked workers.
He added that the operation had helped more than 10,000 Americans avoid falling victim to fraud, 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 trafficked workers and target Americans through international fraud schemes.
According to Patel, the operation has involved raids on suspected scam centres, the disruption of online infrastructure used to facilitate fraud and efforts to identify people forced into working for criminal networks.
He said the FBI would continue collaborating with international law enforcement agencies to dismantle the networks and bring those responsible to justice.
“To every criminal organization targeting Americans: Justice will find you,” he added.
