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The Federal Bureau of Investigation has expanded its newly created Most Wanted Fraudsters list, adding three men accused of significant financial crimes, while confirming the capture of a fifth fugitive from the initiative. FBI Director Kash Patel announced the additions on September 3, highlighting the bureau's intensified focus on large-scale fraud and fugitives who have fled the United States. The latest additions include Manjit Singh Bedi, Onur Simsek, and Bernhard Eugen Fritsch. Bedi, who is accused of defrauding the federal government of at least $600,000 through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), was arrested in India after nearly a year on the run. Authorities allege Bedi operated the scheme through a grocery store in Tacoma, Washington, between 2024 and 2025, processing fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer transactions. He faces federal charges including wire fraud and SNAP benefits fraud. The FBI is currently working to secure his return to the United States. The other two suspects remain at large. Bernhard Eugen Fritsch, who was convicted in California in April 2025 for a multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme involving StarClub Inc., fled to Mexico and subsequently to Munich, Germany, before a post-conviction hearing. He was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison. Onur Simsek, a Turkish national, is wanted for his alleged role in a scheme involving U.S. Department of Defense contracts. Authorities allege Simsek used a front company between 2019 and 2022 to fraudulently obtain government contracts and transferred funds to Turkey. He has been a fugitive since 2023 and is believed to be living in Turkey. The Most Wanted Fraudsters list, unveiled earlier this year, aims to generate public tips to locate fugitives involved in substantial financial crimes. The capture of Bedi brings the total number of captured fugitives from the list to five, demonstrating the federal government's reach in pursuing alleged fraudsters globally.
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