Trump admin’s fraud crackdown targets foreigners accused of infiltrating US federal programs
Federal Crackdown on International Fraud Targets Turkish Defense Scheme
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a surge of action against cross‑border fraud, the Trump administration is sharpening its focus on foreign nationals suspected of siphoning U.S. taxpayer money through elaborate schemes. The FBI’s recent “Most Wanted” list, released last week, highlighted several individuals, including Turkish national Onur Simsek, who authorities say orchestrated a defense‑procurement fraud that misrepresented Turkish‑made parts as U.S.‑certified.
Simsek is believed to be residing in Turkey. Prosecutors allege that between April 2019 and February 2022 he used a U.S.‑based front company to win contracts to supply components for Navy submarines, Marine Corps armored vehicles, Army M‑60 tanks, and other military equipment. The parts, manufactured in Turkey, were allegedly repackaged to conceal their origin before being sold to the U.S. government, potentially compromising the reliability of critical military systems.
“Simsek’s alleged procurement fraud deprived taxpayers of value, denied honest businesses fair opportunity, and diverted critical resources from American warfighters,” GSA Administrator Ed Forst said in a statement. “Under President Trump and Vice President Vance, GSA will continue working relentlessly to identify and hold accountable those who try to cheat the federal marketplace and steal from the American people.” Forst added that the GSA Office of Inspector General has been assisting the investigation.
A separate arrest warrant for Simsek was issued in Tampa, Florida, in October 2023. The FBI has offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information that leads to his arrest and conviction. Simsek is reportedly working with Yuksel Senbol, who was sentenced to prison in 2024 for conspiracy to defraud.
The focus on overseas actors is part of a broader federal effort to root out fraud that has increasingly involved foreign nationals. Vice President J.D. Vance told Fox News Digital that investigators have identified a “clear pattern” in some fraud cases involving immigrant communities. “You definitely see patterns in certain communities,” Vance said. “It’ll start as maybe one Somali person takes advantage of the system, or realizes you don’t even have to have children to get money from these programs. You could just claim that you have children, there’s no verification. Then, word spreads like wildfire, and that program gets tapped into by the same members of that community.”
The White House has also launched an interactive map to track suspected fraud, while the Department of Justice has charged Ohio defendants in a $30 million Medicaid scheme for children. In late July, the FBI apprehended Khalid Ahmed Satary—identified as the fifth most wanted fraudster—in a case that involved Medicare overbilling for medically unnecessary genetic tests totaling more than $547 million from 2016 to 2019. FBI Director Kash Patel praised the arrest, noting it was the third capture in five weeks and “continu[ing] the historic run of success for this new initiative.”
While the administration’s focus on foreign fraud continues, officials caution that the goal is to protect the integrity of federal programs and safeguard national security, not to single out any particular community. As investigations proceed, the FBI and its partners are urging anyone with information on Simsek or other suspects to come forward.