A nearly three-year international manhunt ended with the arrest of Khalid Ahmed Satary, a fugitive accused of orchestrating a $547 million Medicare fraud scheme involving allegedly unnecessary genetic testing.
Authorities said Satary’s arrest marks the third capture connected to the FBI’s newly created “Most Wanted Fraudsters” initiative.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Satary’s arrest Tuesday, stating that the suspect’s return to the United States was the third successful apprehension from the fraud list in five weeks.
Patel said Satary had been indicted in 2019 on charges related to health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly submitting fraudulent Medicare claims between 2016 and 2019.
Prosecutors allege Satary controlled multiple diagnostic laboratories that submitted Medicare claims for genetic tests investigators say were unnecessary.
According to prosecutors, he worked with patient recruiters, telemarketing call centers, and telemedicine companies to generate test samples through deceptive marketing campaigns, illegal kickbacks, and bribes.
The alleged scheme resulted in more than $547 million in Medicare billings.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) described the case as one of the largest health care fraud schemes it has charged.
Officials said the genetic tests involved in the alleged scheme could generate reimbursements between $10,000 and $20,000 per sample. Investigators also said the government seized 16 bank accounts and restrained real estate connected to Satary as part of the case.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the alleged fraud targeted elderly patients by persuading them to undergo costly genetic testing that was not medically necessary.
He credited law enforcement partners for locating Satary overseas and returning him to the United States, saying authorities would continue pursuing individuals accused of defrauding taxpayers and exploiting vulnerable patients.
Satary was released on bond after his indictment despite the government’s objections, according to the DOJ.
Authorities allege that while on bond, he continued working with laboratories in Texas to submit fraudulent genetic testing claims to Medicare.
A federal arrest warrant was issued in December 2022 after Satary allegedly failed to appear for a court hearing and fled the country.
Satary was apprehended on Monday by regional partners in the Middle East and was found with a fake Mexican passport using a false identity.
He was later transferred into U.S. custody and made his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia.
He faces charges including conspiracy to commit health care fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and illegal health care kickbacks.
The FBI launched its Most Wanted Fraudsters List on June 4 as part of a broader effort targeting individuals accused of large-scale fraud against government programs.
Shortly after the list was created, authorities arrested Abdullahi Ereg, who was accused of a $4 million scheme involving the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Days later, authorities apprehended Herbert Leon Kimble in the Philippines over allegations tied to a $1.2 billion health care fraud conspiracy.
The arrests come as federal officials continue efforts to combat health care fraud involving government-funded programs.
The DOJ said its Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007.
The case against Satary remains ongoing.
If convicted, he faces potential prison sentences of up to 20 years for certain conspiracy charges, 10 years for health care fraud-related counts, and five years for conspiracy involving the United States and illegal kickbacks.
