The FBI has successfully apprehended Khalid Satary, labeled as a ‘Most Wanted’ fraudster on the FBI’s list, accused of orchestrating a $500 million Medicare scam. Satary, captured in the Middle East, used fraudulent genetic testing and bribed doctors to execute the scheme.
The arrest underscores the Trump administration’s heightened efforts to target foreign nationals defrauding the U.S. government. The FBI and other federal agencies are actively pursuing suspects who operate from overseas.
Recently, the FBI unveiled its ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’ list as part of this broader crackdown on fraud. Among the listed individuals is Onur Simsek, a Turkish national believed to reside in Turkey. Simsek faces accusations of leading a defense procurement fraud scheme that compromised U.S. military contracts.
Allegations suggest Simsek’s operation falsely certified Turkish-made components, risking the functionality of U.S. military equipment. Federal prosecutors are offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to Simsek’s arrest. Ed Forst of the General Services Administration emphasized the impact of Simsek’s alleged activities, noting the burden it placed on taxpayers and the unfair advantage it posed to honest businesses.
The administration continues to focus on foreign nationals as part of its fraud investigations, including Medicaid and child care schemes connected to Minnesota’s Somali community. In an interview, Vice President JD Vance identified patterns within immigrant communities that exploit these programs, often without verification requirements.
From April 2019 to February 2022, Simsek and his associates used a front company to secure contracts for navy submarines, marine armored vehicles, and army tanks. Prosecutors allege these parts were manufactured in Turkey and then repackaged to hide their origin.
This scheme, similar to the ‘War Dogs’ plot, also involved Yuksel Senbol, who faced imprisonment in 2024 for conspiracy to defraud. An arrest warrant for Simsek was issued in Tampa, Florida, in October 2023.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of Satary along with the capture of two other fraudsters in an ongoing streak of successful takedowns, establishing a historic pattern in combating healthcare fraud.