10 'White Collar' Fugitives Wanted by the FBI

Although we already did a “top whatever” list today, we liked this one so much we thought we’d give it a go as well.

Let’s take a look at 10 infamous “white collar” criminals [i.e. "business or government professionals who … defrauded institutions, organizations or individual investors out of large sums of money"] who are currently on the run from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Some [of these fugitives] even carry rewards of up to $100,000 for information leading to their arrest, so it could pay to be on the lookout,” CNBC reports. “If you have any information on these criminals, the FBI encourages you to contact the agency through various methods listed on its website.”

Here are 10 "white collar" fugitives wanted by the FBI [all block quotes via CNBC, photos courtesy FBI]:

10. Aubrey Lee Price

Charges: Wire fraud

Reward: Up to $20,000

Aubrey Lee Price is wanted by the FBI for his alleged connection to a multimillion dollar investment scheme. According to the FBI, while a director of a Georgia bank, Price funneled about $21 million from a bank subsidiary into other accounts between January 2011 and June 2012 in order to conceal trading losses and personal theft of bank funds.

A warrant alleging wire fraud was issued on June 28, but Price had already gone on the run after telling acquaintances that he had incurred substantial trading losses and planned to kill himself, the FBI said. Price was last seen boarding a ferry boat in Key West, Fla., on June 16 and is believed to have traveled to Guatemala or Venezuela, according to the agency. He has been known to fund, finance and build churches as well as do mission work in South America, according to the FBI’s wanted file.

9. Donald Lee Phelps

Charges: Bank fraud

A convicted felon, Donald Lee Phelps is wanted for his alleged involvement in a scheme to defraud financial institutions. From 2005 through 2006, Phelps allegedly assumed the identity of his girlfriend's estranged husband while he was deployed with the U.S. military in Iraq.

Using an altered Texas driving license, Phelps obtained a Florida ID using the assumed name, the FBI said. Under this identity, Phelps is alleged to have established accounts at a credit union, gained employment at a computer learning center and received a regular salary. According to the FBI, Phelps also wrote personal checks for all of his expenses, obtained loans, credit cards, and sought medical care.

On Oct. 16, 2007, a federal warrant was issued for Phelps' arrest, charging him with bank fraud. According to the FBI, Phelps has a tattoo on his upper left arm, is an avid softball player, suffered a separated shoulder that required orthopedic surgery and is regularly involved in sports gambling.  The agency said he is also wanted on unrelated charges in Pennsylvania, Arizona and Texas, and he also has ties to Germany.

8. Xuyen Thi-Kim Nguyen

Charges: Failure to appear

Xuyen Thi-Kim Nguyen, along with six other people, was indicted in 2005 on charges alleging involvement in a scheme to defraud a mortgage company of more than $5 million. Nguyen was convicted of one count of conspiracy, two counts of mail fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. After her conviction, Nguyen was placed on home monitoring to await sentencing, but she fled from her home in Plano, Texas in November 2005, the FBI said. An arrest warrant was issued for her in February 2006,but she hasn't been located, the agency said.

A naturalized citizen of Vietnamese descent, Nguyen, 70, has lived in the Seattle and Dallas areas, according to the FBI. It said she has also used the aliases Thi Kim Nguyen, Kim Nguyen and Xuyen Nguyen.

7. Peter Medel Aro

Charges: Mail fraud, money laundering

Peter Medel Aro owned and operated two telemarketing companies that obtained several million dollars from investors across the U.S., many of whom were elderly, the FBI said. The telemarketing companies, Coastal Gaming and WRI Holdings, operated out of Los Angeles and solicited investment in fabricated operations, the agency said. According to the FBI, investors in Coastal Gaming were led to believe that they were investing in a river boat casino, while WRI holdings sold a fraudulent investment in the music industry. Coastal Gaming is believed to have drawn $5 million in investment, while WRI drew $1 million, investigators said.

Aro was accused of mail fraud and money laundering related to the telemarketing companies in separate indictments in California in November 1998 and February 1999. According to the FBI, Aro is believed to have left Los Angeles in 1998 for Miami, but his whereabouts are unknown.

6. David Song Sen Cui

Charges: Health care fraud

David Song Sen Cui operated the Atlanta Hope Medical Group from about November 2008 through August 2011 and is wanted for his involvement in using the company to defraud Medicare, the FBI said. In the alleged scheme, the company ran a clinic in Doraville, Ga., that supposedly provided physical therapy for elderly patients but administered massages administered by unlicensed therapists. The FBI said Cui billed the massages to Medicare, fraudulently using a doctor’s name who wasn’t present at the clinic. According to the FBI, during the operation of the clinic, Cui billed over $5.5 million in false claims.

Cui also goes by the names David Cui or Song Sen Cui. The FBI said he may have fled to his native China.

5. Daniel Guzman

Charges: Failure to appear to face charges of health care fraud

Daniel Guzman, 53, is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a scheme that defrauded Medicaid out of millions. The agency said while working at a New York pharmacy,  Guzman conspired with others to fraudulently obtain reimbursements from Medicaid for prescription drugs that were never dispensed. In 2008, Guzman was arrested on a federal warrant and released on bond. He failed to appear for a court date, and another federal arrest warrant was issued, the FBI said.

4. Frank Bush Amir

Charges: Wire fraud

As a catering manager at an Illinois hotel, Frank Bush Amir orchestrated a scheme that embezzled $500,000, the FBI said. Federal agents said that between January 2000 and October 2003, Amir deposited hotel funds into a personal account, using various fraudulent means to cover up his actions.

Amir was arrested in July 2007 and released on bond five months later. After failing to appear as required by his bond release, a bench warrant was issued but Amir has not been found, the FBI said. According to the FBI, Amir is known to portray himself as wealthy and may have traveled to his native Iran. He goes by several aliases, including Amir M. Hassani, Aliakbar Hassani, Frank Hassani and Frank B. Amir.

“American Greed: The Fugitives” premieres Wednesday, August 1 at 8 p.m. ET, with re-airs at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. ET.  For more info,visit the show page .

Click here to see the rest of the list.

Front page photo source: shutterstock.com