A woman accused of being part of a $4 billion cryptocurrency fraud and a man accused of murdering his wife the day after they got married are among the FBI’s most wanted fugitives.
The FBI as of January 2023 has eight people - seven men and one woman on its most wanted list. The only woman on the list is Ruja Ignatova, who is wanted over her alleged involvement in a massive cryptocurrency fraud scheme known as OneCoin.
In the majority of the cases rewards of $100,000 are being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the wanted fugitives. However, the reward for one of them - a man called Jose Rodolfo Villarreal-Hernandez, who is wanted in connection with directing people to track and murder a man in Texas, is up to $1 million.
Anyone with any information about the whereabouts of the fugitives should contact their local FBI office if in the US, or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Here are the eight fugitives on the FBI’s most wanted list.
In the majority of the cases rewards of $100,000 are being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the wanted fugitives. However, the reward for one of them - a man called Jose Rodolfo Villarreal-Hernandez, who is wanted in connection with directing people to track and murder a man in Texas, is up to $1 million.
5. Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias
The alleged leader for Honduras of international crime gang MS-13 is accused of controlling the group’s criminal activity in the country and providing MS-13 in Central America and the United States with firearms, drugs, and cash. Also known by the by the aliases of Alexander Mendoza, and “Porky”, he is charged federally in the Southern District of New York with racketeering conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession and conspiracy to possess machine guns. Archaga Carias, 40, is also allegedly responsible for supporting multi-ton loads of cocaine through Honduras to the United States and for ordering and participating in murders of rival gang members and others associated with MS-13.
6. Ruja Ignatova
Dubbed the “Cryptoqueen” Ruja Ignatova is accused of being involved cryptocurrency fraud worth over $4 billion. From around 2014, Ignatova, who was born in Bulgaria, and others are alleged to have defrauded money from investors all over the world. The 42-year-old was the founder of OneCoin Ltd., a Bulgaria-based company that marketed a purported cryptocurrency. It is alleged she made false statements and representations to get investments in OneCoin. She allegedly instructed victims to transmit investment funds to OneCoin accounts in order to purchase OneCoin packages. She is also known as Dr. Ruja Ignatova, Ruja Plamenova Ignatova, Ruja P. Ignatova. It is believed she travels with armed guards and/or associates, and may have had plastic surgery. On 12 October, 2017, Ignatova was charged in the United States District Court, and a federal warrant was issued for her arrest. The following year an indictment was issued charging her with one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; conspiracy to commit securities fraud; and securities fraud.
7. Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel
Patel, 42, is accused of killing his wife Palak while they were both working at a Dunkin’ Donuts shop. Customers had called police to say there were no employees . However when an officer arrived at the store in Hanover, Maryland, he found Palak lying in the kitchen area. After her discovery on 12 April, 2015, she was pronounced dead at the scene. A local arrest warrant was issued on 13 April, 2015, and Patel who was born in India, was charged with first degree murder, second degree murder, first degree assault, second degree assault, and dangerous weapon with intent to injure. A federal arrest warrant was issued on 20 April, 2015, after Patel was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. He was last known to be in the Newark, New Jersey area.
8. Omar Alexander Cardenas.
Omar Alexander Cardenas, 27, is wanted over the murder of a man outside a barbershop in Sylmar, California. Cardenas is suspected of firing several shots from a semiautomatic handgun. A local arrest warrant was issued for Cardenas on 3 April 2020, after he was charged with murder. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Cardenas on September 2, 2021, after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.