FBI Places German Tech Founder on Most Wanted Fraud List After Escape to Bavaria
Bernhard Fritsch, a 65-year-old German entrepreneur wanted for wire fraud, was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list while reportedly hiding in Bavaria.
German entrepreneur Bernhard Fritsch, aged 65, was placed on the FBI’s newly created Most Wanted Fraudsters list after a federal jury found him guilty of wire fraud involving at least $7.3 million of investor money. He was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison, a $35,000 fine and nearly $27 million in restitution. In 2025 he disabled his court-ordered ankle monitor, escaped to Mexico, and was briefly detained before being released on a reporting condition.
He subsequently traveled to Munich and is thought to be staying in Bavaria, where extradition is barred by German law. The FBI has posted a $150,000 bounty for tips, while his ex-partner Lucy Weist faces up to five years for aiding his flight.
Why it matters
The case highlights challenges in prosecuting cross-border white-collar crime and limits of extradition for German citizens.
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