JUST IN: FBI ARRESTS “Most Wanted Fraudster” Who Organized $574M Medicare Scheme

The FBI has just arrested most wanted fraudster Khalid Ahmed Satary, who was indicted in 2019 for a $547 million Medicare scheme.

Satary fled overseas and was on the run for years before being apprehended on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, he arrived back in the United States to face justice!

FBI Director Kash Patel announced on X:

The arrest of Khalid Ahmed Satary and return to the U.S. is the third Most Wanted Fraudster capture from this FBI and our partners in just 5 weeks – continuing the historic run of success for this new initiative.

Satary was indicted in 2019 on charges on Health Care Fraud… pic.twitter.com/QkJxTN8dtZ

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) July 21, 2026

🚨 JUST IN: FBI just ARRESTED most wanted fraudster Khalid Ahmed Satary, who fled overseas after orchestrating a $574 MILLION Medicare scheme

LFG! Arresting every fraudster is EXACTLY what I voted for 👏🏻

He's been on the run for YEARS. Not any longer 🔥

PATEL: "The arrest of… pic.twitter.com/poXYHSWr3M

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) July 21, 2026

The arrest of Khalid Ahmed Satary and return to the U.S. is the third Most Wanted Fraudster capture from this FBI and our partners in just 5 weeks – continuing the historic run of success for this new initiative.

Satary was indicted in 2019 on charges on Health Care Fraud Conspiracy, allegedly stealing $547 million from 2016-2019 by fraudulently billing Medicare for expensive and medically unnecessary genetic tests, using deceptive marketing campaigns, illegal kickbacks, and bribes.

This is another subject who exploited a program dedicated to helping our most vulnerable and instead stole for himself.

Satary has been on the run since 2022, but we got him thanks to great work and coordination from the interagency and our overseas partners.

This is just the latest example showing President Trump’s and Vice President Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud will not be deterred in our mission to track down each and every fraudster who allegedly steals from American taxpayers. And it’s yet another high value target returned from overseas by this FBI – the 27th such transfer since June.

The FBI shared some photos of Satary’s arrest:

FBI MIAMI CASE UPDATE: The FBI’s successful FTOC (foreign transfer of custody) today of Most Wanted Fraudster Khalid Ahmed Satary from the Middle East is another example of the FBI’s commitment to bring financial fraudsters to justice. Satary faces charges for his alleged role in… pic.twitter.com/sh7ILye5v8

— FBI Miami (@FBIMiamiFL) July 21, 2026

FBI MIAMI CASE UPDATE: The FBI’s successful FTOC (foreign transfer of custody) today of Most Wanted Fraudster Khalid Ahmed Satary from the Middle East is another example of the FBI’s commitment to bring financial fraudsters to justice. Satary faces charges for his alleged role in a $547 million Medicare fraud conspiracy. He fled custody on or about November 2022 and was recently detained by authorities in the Middle East. The FBI will relentlessly pursue fugitives who attempt to escape justice, without hesitation or compromise. FBI Miami investigated this case jointly with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. We extend our deepest gratitude to FBI New Orleans, the FBI Washington Field Office, Customs and Border Protection International Operations, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana for their outstanding dedication and collaboration throughout this investigation. Their commitment to justice, tireless effort, and steadfast partnership were instrumental to this operation.

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Satary has been hit with multiple serious charges related to fraud.

He is the third suspect on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters List” to be arrested since June.

A DOJ press release has more:

A foreign national was arrested yesterday on criminal charges related to his orchestration of a scheme to defraud Medicare over half a billion dollars for unnecessary genetic testing.

Khalid Satary, 54, was charged by indictment in 2019 in the Eastern District of Louisiana as part of one of the largest health care fraud schemes ever charged by the Department of Justice. According to the indictment and court documents, from 2016 to 2019, Satary owned and operated several diagnostic testing laboratories throughout the United States that billed Medicare for expensive and medically unnecessary genetic tests. Satary allegedly conspired with dozens of patient recruiters, telemarketing call centers, and telemedicine companies to utilize deceptive marketing campaigns and illegal kickbacks and bribes to generate cancer genetic test samples that reimbursed between $10,000 to $20,000 per sample. Through his laboratories, Satary billed Medicare for over $547 million. He also allegedly paid millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks and bribes to doctors and patient recruiters. In connection with the indictment, the government seized 16 bank accounts and restrained real estate from Satary…

Following indictment, Satary was released on bond, over the government’s objection, with a condition not to work in the health care field. While on bond, Satary allegedly conspired with Houston-based laboratories in Texas to continue submitting fraudulent genetic testing claims to Medicare. In December 2022, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Satary in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Satary failed to appear for a court hearing and is alleged to have subsequently fled the country. On July 20, 2026, he was apprehended by regional partners in the Middle East and was found to be in possession of a fake Mexican passport under a fake name, depicted below. He was subsequently transferred into U.S. custody.

Satary made his initial appearance today in the Eastern District of Virginia. He is charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks and bribes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, 10 years in prison for the counts of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and five years in prison for the count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive kickbacks

On June 4, the FBI announced the creation of the Most Wanted Fraudsters List. The list included Herb Kimble, a fugitive in a $1.2 billion telemedicine and durable medical equipment scheme, who, on June 8—just four days later—was apprehended in the Philippines and was soon after charged as part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. On June 23, Satary was added to the Most Wanted Fraudsters List, and he was apprehended less than a month later, despite being on the run for over three years.

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The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case. The Department thanks its government partners—including U.S. Customs and Border Protection International Operations— in the Middle East for their cooperation in the apprehension of this health care fraud fugitive.