Emylee Thai arrested in Vietnam for Medicare fraud

Emylee Thai, a fugitive on the FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’ list, has been arrested in Vietnam. Thai is accused of orchestrating a massive healthcare fraud scheme that allegedly defrauded Medicare of approximately $142 million.

Federal authorities allege that Thai and her associates were involved in a conspiracy to bill Medicare for unnecessary genetic tests and DNA samples. Prosecutors claim she received commissions for referring patients to specific laboratories, including Medicare beneficiaries who had no medical need for such testing. Thai had been on the run since 2022, reportedly fleeing the United States via private aircraft using a false identity after tampering with her GPS monitoring device.

According to the FBI, Thai’s arrest marks the sixth capture of a subject from the agency’s new ‘Most Wanted Fraudsters’ list in just three months. These captured individuals are collectively linked to more than $2 billion in alleged fraud. The FBI is currently working with international partners to facilitate her return to the United States to face charges including conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and conspiracy to defraud the United States.