FBI Extradites Suspect In $3.7bn Medicare Scam From Turkey

A fugitive accused of helping mastermind one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes in United States history is back on American soil after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) tracked him down in Turkey and flew him home to face charges, the bureau announced on Monday.

Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi was recently detained by Turkish authorities after he fled the U.S. in May 2025.

The FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group flew out to Turkey and transported Hilmi to the U.S. on Friday through a foreign transfer of custody operation.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the capture on Monday, describing it as a major victory in the bureau’s effort to track down fugitives accused of stealing taxpayer dollars.

“Ibrahim Khaldoon Hilmi is charged with one of the biggest Medicare scams in history — allegedly orchestrating a massive $3.7bn scheme to defraud Medicare,” Patel said.

“He’s been on the run since May of 2025 — but we got him.”

Patel also thanked U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, saying the case against Hilmi was only possible thanks to his “invaluable” and “tireless work.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who personally heads the White House Task Force on healthcare fraud, also celebrated the operation on Tuesday, describing it as a monumental triumph for the administration’s aggressive crackdown on corporate and healthcare crime

Vance vowed that thieves who target American taxpayers will find no “safe harbour”anywhere in the world, and warned that federal authorities would continue to pursue global dragnets against corrupt actors who target public funds.

The arrest marks the second high-profile return of an alleged Medicare fraud fugitive in less than a week.

On Thursday, the FBI announced it had brought back Herbert Kimble, who investigators say had been on the run since 2024 after allegedly orchestrating a separate Medicare fraud scheme worth approximately $1.3bn.

The two cases involve roughly $5bn in alleged fraud targeting taxpayer-funded healthcare programmes.

Patel said Hilmi’s return demonstrates that suspects accused of large-scale fraud will be pursued regardless of where they flee.

“This is yet another massive win for the FBI’s war on fraudsters with the White House Task Force led by VP Vance — and a monumental victory for the Trump administration, showing that any criminal actor who steals from the American taxpayer will be caught, no matter where they try to hide,” he said.

Hilmi is expected to be formally charged in court. No trial date has been set.