Alleged N.J. Investment Scammer Added to FBI Most Wanted Fraudsters List
Khalid Satary, a 54-year-old international fugitive accused of leading a $547 million Medicare fraud scheme targeting taxpayers, was captured in the Middle East and added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list, according to the U.S. Department of Justice and statements from FBI Director Kash Patel released in July 2026.
The Anatomy of a Half-Billion-Dollar Healthcare Fraud Scheme
Federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of Louisiana originally indicted Khalid Satary in 2019. According to court documents and Department of Justice findings, Satary orchestrated a massive conspiracy that billed Medicare for over $547 million worth of expensive and medically unnecessary genetic tests between 2016 and 2019. The operation relied heavily on deceptive marketing campaigns, illegal kickbacks, and bribes funneled through dozens of patient recruiters, telemarketing call centers, and telemedicine companies.
Investigators detailed how the network generated cancer genetic test samples that were routinely reimbursed by federal healthcare programs for up to $20,000 each. Satary allegedly paid millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks directly to corrupt doctors and patient recruiters to sustain the massive cash flow. Despite being indicted and initially released on bond under strict court orders prohibiting him from working in the medical field, Satary continued his illicit enterprise.
Federal authorities stated that Satary conspired with Houston-based laboratories in Texas to keep submitting phony genetic testing claims even after his initial court appearance. When a federal arrest warrant was issued in 2022 after he skipped a mandatory court hearing, Satary fled the United States.
International Manhunt and Capture in the Middle East
The multi-year international manhunt concluded on Monday when regional security partners located and arrested Satary in the Middle East, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. At the time of his capture, Satary was found in possession of a fake Mexican passport bearing a phony name.
Following his arrest, Satary was immediately flown back to the United States. He made his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia on Tuesday, facing a comprehensive multi-count indictment.
The charges against Satary include health care fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, substantive health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, paying and receiving illegal health care kickbacks and bribes, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, he faces significant prison time, including up to 20 years for wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, 10 years for health care fraud counts, and five years for conspiring to defraud the government and violate kickback statutes.
The FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters Initiative and Local Economic Impact
The FBI officially launched the Most Wanted Fraudsters List in early June to spotlight high-profile fugitives accused of bilking taxpayers and vulnerable populations. According to FBI Director Kash Patel, Satary’s apprehension represents the third successful capture from the new list within a span of just five weeks.
“Satary was indicted in 2019 on charges of 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,” Patel stated. “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.”
As federal prosecutors prepare to try the case in the Eastern District of Louisiana, the Department of Justice emphasizes that the ongoing initiative targets individuals who siphon funds away from taxpayers and federal medical programs.