The FBI has raised the reward for information on fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list to USD 1 million, up from USD 250,000, the agency said. The list currently includes an Indian national wanted in an 11-year-old murder case and, for the first time, a fugitive accused of major cyber-enabled financial crime.
Assistant Director Heith R. Janke announced at a press conference that three fugitives were added to the Ten Most Wanted last week: Samuel Ramirez Jr., Trung Duc Lu, and Anibal Aguirre. Ramirez was arrested in Mexico following a community tip shortly after his listing.
The Indian national, Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, is wanted for the April 12, 2015, killing of his wife at a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland. Patel, believed to be about 35 now and described by the FBI as “armed and extremely dangerous,” was last seen in Newark, New Jersey. The Washington Post noted Patel has been on the Top Ten list since 2017 and is the longest-tenured person currently listed.
Anibal Aguirre’s addition marks the first time a cyber fugitive has been placed on the Ten Most Wanted. He is accused of leading a large-scale international ATM “jackpotting” scheme tied to the foreign terrorist organization TdA. Janke said Aguirre’s inclusion underscores the FBI’s focus on pursuing cyber-enabled financial crime at the highest levels.
Janke described the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program, established March 4, 1950, as one of the most effective law enforcement tools, relying on public awareness through media, online platforms, and international partners. Since the program began, 540 fugitives have been listed; 501 have been apprehended or located, a 93 percent success rate. In 163 cases, public tips were decisive, and global media directly contributed to 65 apprehensions or locations outside the United States.
