June 5, 2026 • 11 mins
1. New FBI Initiative
- The FBI is expanding its traditional “Top Ten Most Wanted” concept to include white-collar criminals.
- The goal is to publicize major fraud suspects and increase accountability.
2. Types of Crimes Highlighted
The document mentions several categories of alleged fraud:
- Healthcare fraud (e.g., Medicaid schemes targeting children’s services)
- Investment and wire fraud
- Cryptocurrency-related laundering
- International scam operations targeting elderly Americans
3. Specific Example Case
- A scheme dubbed “Operation Playground Therapy” allegedly:
- Billed taxpayers ~$30 million
- Involved services that were unnecessary or never provided
- Exploited programs meant for children
4. International Scope
- Fraud is described as global, involving:
- Scam centers in Southeast Asia and the Middle East
- Claims of billions recovered and hundreds of arrests
- Emphasis on cooperation across agencies and countries
5. Public Engagement Strategy
- The FBI is urging citizens to:
- Review the list
- Submit tips
- The document stresses that public tips have historically helped capture fugitives
Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast and Verdict with Ted Cruz Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening
X: https://x.com/benfergusonshow
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Literally tens of millions of dollars that was supposed to
go to kids was stolen, allegedly by individuals who worked
in government and the private sector and thought they could
fleece Americans and our treasure, our children of the hard
earned dollars to the taxpayer dollars that we provide to
support them in their time of needs.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well they got caught. If you're listening to the forty
seven Morning Update with Ben ferguson good.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Friday morning, nice to have you with us on the
forty seven Morning Update, and we've got major news for you.
The FBI justin biled a brand new Most Wanted Fraudsters
that's putting some of the world's most notorious scammers, cyber criminals,
and financial fugitives directly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.
So who made the list and how much money are
(00:47):
they accused of stealing from you? I've got it all
for you, all right. Let me just talk to you
for one second about something that you deal with probably
every day. It's your cell phone. Every day, Americans make
choices that shape are entry's future, right down to which
cell phone provider we support. Here's what most people don't
actually realize. Patriot Mobile isn't just a wireless provider. They're
(01:10):
an activist organization funded by selling top tier cell service.
They've been on the front lines defending our freedoms long
before it was cool, standing up and the gap when
others wouldn't. The best part is they deliver prioritized premium
service on all three major US networks, giving you the
same or even better coverage backed by one hundred percent
(01:34):
US based customer support. You get unlimited data, mobile hotspots,
international roaming, and so much more. But when you switch
to Patriot Mobile, that's what I love the most. You'll
help grow a movement that fuels the Christian Conservative cause.
Every bill you pay helps advance the values of faith, family,
and freedom. And switching is easier than ever. You can
(01:57):
literally activate in minutes, keep your number, keep your phone,
or upgrade. So go to Patriotmobile dot com slash ben
forty seven or call ninety seven to Patriot and if
you use the promo code ben forty seven you'll get
a free month of service. That's Patriotmobile dot com slash
ben forty seven or nine seven to two Patriot and
(02:20):
switch today. It's the forty seven Morning Update, and it starts.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Right now, story number one.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
For decades, the FBI has had a top ten most
wanted list. Well, now there's a new list. It's the
FBI's Top ten most Wanted Fraudsters List. And if you've
ever wondered where your tax dollurs go or why government
fraud seems to keep making headlines, well the FBI says
it's time to put some faces on the actual problem.
(02:48):
That's why the FBI Director Cashpattel un build a brand
new initiative, the FBI's Top ten Most Wanted Fraudster's List,
a public effort, he said, to track down some of
the most notorious financial criminals accused of stealing more than
a billion dollars from American taxpayers now. The announcement came
in Ohio alongside senior Justice Department officials as federal authorities
(03:13):
also revealed charges against defendant's accused of running a massive
medicaid fraud scheme involving children services. Yeah they're not just
stealing from us, but they're actually stealing money that's supposed
to be going to children now. According to federal prosecutors,
the scheme allegedly built taxpayers roughly thirty million for therapy
(03:33):
services that were medically unnecessary or never provided at all.
The Director of the FBI, Betel, made it clear that
this effort is about changing the way the FBI goes
after white collar criminals now. One of the strongest lines
from today's announcement was Patel warning that these suspects are
(03:54):
not harmless paper pushers. They stole more than one billion.
Patel said as he launched the new list, I want
you to hear exactly what the FBI director had to say.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Operation Playground Therapy is what the FBI is here to
talk about today, as the Attorney General highlighted, literally tens
of millions of dollars that was supposed to go to
kids was stolen allegedly by individuals who worked in government
and the private sector and thought they could fleece Americans
and our treasure, our children of the hard earned dollars,
(04:28):
the taxpayer dollars that we provide to support them in
their time of need. Well, they got caught. And not
only did they get caught, so many others got caught.
Just take a look at some of the vehicles that
are here as part of their ill gotten gains and proceeds.
They didn't just take the money, they paraded it around
the country. And thanks to this team here you are
seeing what hard work, dedication to the rule of law,
(04:50):
and true unified effort across all fronts when no one
wants the credit and everyone wants to just do the work.
These are the results that we're here to talk about today,
importantly for the FBI, and thanks to Vice President JD.
Vance's vision. He had an idea. He said, Hey, you
guys have a top ten most wanted list for all gangbangers, terrorists,
(05:10):
narco traffickers, murders and rapists around the world. How about
we have a top ten list for most wanted fraudsters. So,
mister Vice President, thanks to your vision, we're here to
deliver and you see it here today. It is live
officially on the FBI website. I want all Americans to
take a look at these most wanted individuals and look
at the amounts, the tens of millions and billions of
dollars in fraud that they have decimated our societies from.
(05:34):
We rely on you. Our best form of information is
the American public. Take a look at this top ten
most wanted. Let us know any information There is no
bad piece of information. The only bad piece of information
is the one you don't give us. So call one
eight hundred, call FBI, or go to FBI dot gov
and help us apprehend more fraudsters. The last thing I
(05:55):
want to talk about is the work of the FBI
and the interagency isn't just mestic. The fraudsters have created
programs overseas that have fleeced Americans of billions of dollars.
The FBI has led that charge against scam center compounds
stood up in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, freeing
thousands of traffic workers. Just in the last year, under
the Trump Advance Administration and the Fraud Initiative, we have
(06:18):
captured and freed eight billion dollars in fraud in scam
centers that were stood up by the CCP and other
adversaries in places like Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and the
Middle East. And we're working with our inner agency and
partners across the world to bring hundreds of individuals to justice.
Just the other week in the Middle East, in Dubai,
we arrested three hundred individuals responsible for four billion dollars
(06:40):
in fraud. They prey on our senior citizens here from overseas,
and this administration has made it abundantly clear there is
no distance we won't travel to make sure we apprehend
each and every one of these individuals. The FBI is
leading the effort to scuttle these stam centers permanently, to
free the traffic workers, and most importantly, to also secure
taxpayer dollars and make sure that this eight billion in
(07:03):
counting in scam center fraud that the FBI is delivered
on so far only continues to grow, and we're going
to keep doing it. I just want to thank the
Attorney General, the interagency partnerships here, state and local. I've
set it over and over again. The FBI's best partners
are state and local law enforcement, and they're here today
and these are the results.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So the FBI, under President Trump and Caspertel's leadership, while
their message is simple, if America has a top ten
list for murderers or terrorists or cartel leaders and violent fugitives,
then the people accused of stealing massive amounts of money
from taxpayers, retirees, investors, and vulnerable Americans should face the
(07:41):
same level of scrutiny. Now, the new list includes alleged
frauds as connected to investment scams, wire fraud schemes, cryptocurrency
laundering operations, healthcare fraud, and other sophisticated financial crimes. Among
those featured are individual's accused of targeting the elderly Americans,
(08:02):
running international fraud operations, and helping move illicit funds around
the globe. Now, what's especially significant is also the timing.
The Trump administration has spent months emphasizing waste, fraud and
abuse across government programs. The creation of this new FBI
list fits directly into that broader effort, and President Trump
(08:24):
has repeatedly argued that fraud against taxpayers is not a
victimless crime and that Americans deserve accountability when billions of
dollars disappear through corruption, through scams and abuse of public programs. Now,
the White House did not announce the list itself today,
that move aligns closely with the administration's a larger focus,
(08:44):
they say on rooting out fraud and recovering taxpayer dollars
and letting the FBI do exactly what they need to do.
It also is putting the FBI front and center and
betting that the public attention will also work in helping
find these peace one the most Wanted list. The Bureau's
traditional Top ten Most Wanted Fugitive lists has been one
(09:05):
of the most successful law enforcement tools in American history.
The FBI reports of the vast majority of fugitives who
have appeared on its famous top ten lists have ultimately
been located or captured, often after tips from ordinary citizens.
And that's exactly why the FBI director is hoping it
will happen again on this new list. By putting these
(09:27):
alleged fraudsters front and center, investigators hope someone recognizes a face,
knows a location, or provides the critical tip needed to
make and arrest. And there's another reason for this matter
as well. For years, Americans have heard about fraud and
abstract terms billions here, millions there, and it doesn't even
(09:47):
seem anything real or like an actual number. But when
taxpayers see the actual individuals that are accused of orchestrating
these schemes, the scale of the problem becomes much much
more real and per ersal So, whether it's healthcare fraud
or investment scams targeting seniors, the cryptocurrency schemes, or international
(10:08):
wire fraud operations, the FBI is now signaling that in
twenty twenty six, financial criminals are now going to receive
the same public attention that has traditionally been reserved for
violent fugitives. As Director Ptel's team put it today, this
is about bringing accountability to people accused of stealing staggering
amounts of money from hardworking American citizens and funds that
(10:31):
were supposed to go and help the elderly and the poor,
as well as children. The bottom line, the FBI just
launched a brand new most wanted lists, not for the murderers,
not for cartel bosses, not for the terriffs, for fraudsters,
and if the FBI gets its way, some of the
people accused of stealing more than a billion dollars from
(10:52):
Americans may soon find themselves running out of places to hide.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Thank you for listening to the forty seven Morning Update
with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever
you're listening to this podcast right now and for more
in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast
and we will see you back here tomorrow.
Literally tens of millions of dollars that was supposed to
go to kids was stolen, allegedly by individuals who worked
in government and the private sector and thought they could
fleece Americans and our treasure, our children of the hard
earned dollars to the taxpayer dollars that we provide to
support them in their time of needs.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Well they got caught. If you're listening to the forty
seven Morning Update with Ben ferguson good.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Friday morning, nice to have you with us on the
forty seven Morning Update, and we've got major news for you.
The FBI justin biled a brand new Most Wanted Fraudsters
that's putting some of the world's most notorious scammers, cyber criminals,
and financial fugitives directly in the crosshairs of the Trump administration.
So who made the list and how much money are
(00:47):
they accused of stealing from you? I've got it all
for you, all right. Let me just talk to you
for one second about something that you deal with probably
every day. It's your cell phone. Every day, Americans make
choices that shape are entry's future, right down to which
cell phone provider we support. Here's what most people don't
actually realize. Patriot Mobile isn't just a wireless provider. They're
(01:10):
an activist organization funded by selling top tier cell service.
They've been on the front lines defending our freedoms long
before it was cool, standing up and the gap when
others wouldn't. The best part is they deliver prioritized premium
service on all three major US networks, giving you the
same or even better coverage backed by one hundred percent
(01:34):
US based customer support. You get unlimited data, mobile hotspots,
international roaming, and so much more. But when you switch
to Patriot Mobile, that's what I love the most. You'll
help grow a movement that fuels the Christian Conservative cause.
Every bill you pay helps advance the values of faith, family,
and freedom. And switching is easier than ever. You can
(01:57):
literally activate in minutes, keep your number, keep your phone,
or upgrade. So go to Patriotmobile dot com slash ben
forty seven or call ninety seven to Patriot and if
you use the promo code ben forty seven you'll get
a free month of service. That's Patriotmobile dot com slash
ben forty seven or nine seven to two Patriot and
(02:20):
switch today. It's the forty seven Morning Update, and it starts.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Right now, story number one.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
For decades, the FBI has had a top ten most
wanted list. Well, now there's a new list. It's the
FBI's Top ten most Wanted Fraudsters List. And if you've
ever wondered where your tax dollurs go or why government
fraud seems to keep making headlines, well the FBI says
it's time to put some faces on the actual problem.
(02:48):
That's why the FBI Director Cashpattel un build a brand
new initiative, the FBI's Top ten Most Wanted Fraudster's List,
a public effort, he said, to track down some of
the most notorious financial criminals accused of stealing more than
a billion dollars from American taxpayers now. The announcement came
in Ohio alongside senior Justice Department officials as federal authorities
(03:13):
also revealed charges against defendant's accused of running a massive
medicaid fraud scheme involving children services. Yeah they're not just
stealing from us, but they're actually stealing money that's supposed
to be going to children now. According to federal prosecutors,
the scheme allegedly built taxpayers roughly thirty million for therapy
(03:33):
services that were medically unnecessary or never provided at all.
The Director of the FBI, Betel, made it clear that
this effort is about changing the way the FBI goes
after white collar criminals now. One of the strongest lines
from today's announcement was Patel warning that these suspects are
(03:54):
not harmless paper pushers. They stole more than one billion.
Patel said as he launched the new list, I want
you to hear exactly what the FBI director had to say.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Operation Playground Therapy is what the FBI is here to
talk about today, as the Attorney General highlighted, literally tens
of millions of dollars that was supposed to go to
kids was stolen allegedly by individuals who worked in government
and the private sector and thought they could fleece Americans
and our treasure, our children of the hard earned dollars,
(04:28):
the taxpayer dollars that we provide to support them in
their time of need. Well, they got caught. And not
only did they get caught, so many others got caught.
Just take a look at some of the vehicles that
are here as part of their ill gotten gains and proceeds.
They didn't just take the money, they paraded it around
the country. And thanks to this team here you are
seeing what hard work, dedication to the rule of law,
(04:50):
and true unified effort across all fronts when no one
wants the credit and everyone wants to just do the work.
These are the results that we're here to talk about today,
importantly for the FBI, and thanks to Vice President JD.
Vance's vision. He had an idea. He said, Hey, you
guys have a top ten most wanted list for all gangbangers, terrorists,
(05:10):
narco traffickers, murders and rapists around the world. How about
we have a top ten list for most wanted fraudsters. So,
mister Vice President, thanks to your vision, we're here to
deliver and you see it here today. It is live
officially on the FBI website. I want all Americans to
take a look at these most wanted individuals and look
at the amounts, the tens of millions and billions of
dollars in fraud that they have decimated our societies from.
(05:34):
We rely on you. Our best form of information is
the American public. Take a look at this top ten
most wanted. Let us know any information There is no
bad piece of information. The only bad piece of information
is the one you don't give us. So call one
eight hundred, call FBI, or go to FBI dot gov
and help us apprehend more fraudsters. The last thing I
(05:55):
want to talk about is the work of the FBI
and the interagency isn't just mestic. The fraudsters have created
programs overseas that have fleeced Americans of billions of dollars.
The FBI has led that charge against scam center compounds
stood up in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, freeing
thousands of traffic workers. Just in the last year, under
the Trump Advance Administration and the Fraud Initiative, we have
(06:18):
captured and freed eight billion dollars in fraud in scam
centers that were stood up by the CCP and other
adversaries in places like Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia and the
Middle East. And we're working with our inner agency and
partners across the world to bring hundreds of individuals to justice.
Just the other week in the Middle East, in Dubai,
we arrested three hundred individuals responsible for four billion dollars
(06:40):
in fraud. They prey on our senior citizens here from overseas,
and this administration has made it abundantly clear there is
no distance we won't travel to make sure we apprehend
each and every one of these individuals. The FBI is
leading the effort to scuttle these stam centers permanently, to
free the traffic workers, and most importantly, to also secure
taxpayer dollars and make sure that this eight billion in
(07:03):
counting in scam center fraud that the FBI is delivered
on so far only continues to grow, and we're going
to keep doing it. I just want to thank the
Attorney General, the interagency partnerships here, state and local. I've
set it over and over again. The FBI's best partners
are state and local law enforcement, and they're here today
and these are the results.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
So the FBI, under President Trump and Caspertel's leadership, while
their message is simple, if America has a top ten
list for murderers or terrorists or cartel leaders and violent fugitives,
then the people accused of stealing massive amounts of money
from taxpayers, retirees, investors, and vulnerable Americans should face the
(07:41):
same level of scrutiny. Now, the new list includes alleged
frauds as connected to investment scams, wire fraud schemes, cryptocurrency
laundering operations, healthcare fraud, and other sophisticated financial crimes. Among
those featured are individual's accused of targeting the elderly Americans,
(08:02):
running international fraud operations, and helping move illicit funds around
the globe. Now, what's especially significant is also the timing.
The Trump administration has spent months emphasizing waste, fraud and
abuse across government programs. The creation of this new FBI
list fits directly into that broader effort, and President Trump
(08:24):
has repeatedly argued that fraud against taxpayers is not a
victimless crime and that Americans deserve accountability when billions of
dollars disappear through corruption, through scams and abuse of public programs. Now,
the White House did not announce the list itself today,
that move aligns closely with the administration's a larger focus,
(08:44):
they say on rooting out fraud and recovering taxpayer dollars
and letting the FBI do exactly what they need to do.
It also is putting the FBI front and center and
betting that the public attention will also work in helping
find these peace one the most Wanted list. The Bureau's
traditional Top ten Most Wanted Fugitive lists has been one
(09:05):
of the most successful law enforcement tools in American history.
The FBI reports of the vast majority of fugitives who
have appeared on its famous top ten lists have ultimately
been located or captured, often after tips from ordinary citizens.
And that's exactly why the FBI director is hoping it
will happen again on this new list. By putting these
(09:27):
alleged fraudsters front and center, investigators hope someone recognizes a face,
knows a location, or provides the critical tip needed to
make and arrest. And there's another reason for this matter
as well. For years, Americans have heard about fraud and
abstract terms billions here, millions there, and it doesn't even
(09:47):
seem anything real or like an actual number. But when
taxpayers see the actual individuals that are accused of orchestrating
these schemes, the scale of the problem becomes much much
more real and per ersal So, whether it's healthcare fraud
or investment scams targeting seniors, the cryptocurrency schemes, or international
(10:08):
wire fraud operations, the FBI is now signaling that in
twenty twenty six, financial criminals are now going to receive
the same public attention that has traditionally been reserved for
violent fugitives. As Director Ptel's team put it today, this
is about bringing accountability to people accused of stealing staggering
amounts of money from hardworking American citizens and funds that
(10:31):
were supposed to go and help the elderly and the poor,
as well as children. The bottom line, the FBI just
launched a brand new most wanted lists, not for the murderers,
not for cartel bosses, not for the terriffs, for fraudsters,
and if the FBI gets its way, some of the
people accused of stealing more than a billion dollars from
(10:52):
Americans may soon find themselves running out of places to hide.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Thank you for listening to the forty seven Morning Update
with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe wherever
you're listening to this podcast right now and for more
in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson podcast
and we will see you back here tomorrow.
Host
Ben Ferguson
Popular Podcasts
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com