In this episode of Fugitive Files, we dive into the shadowy digital underworld behind one of the most dangerous cyber campaigns ever directed at U.S. critical infrastructure. At the center of it all is Guan Tianfeng, a Chinese national accused of unleashing a global wave of cyberattacks that compromised more than 80,000 Sophos firewalls — the very devices meant to keep networks safe.

According to federal prosecutors, Guan conspired to develop and deploy sophisticated malware exploiting a zero-day vulnerability, CVE-2020-12271, granting him and his co-conspirators unprecedented access to sensitive systems worldwide. Working under the banner of Sichuan Silence Information Technology Co. Ltd., a company later sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its alleged ties to Chinese intelligence, Guan’s operation went far beyond simple data theft. Investigators say the group attempted to deploy Ragnarok ransomware, potentially threatening hospitals, energy providers, and government networks.

The Department of Justice has charged Guan with multiple counts of computer fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States. The FBI has placed him among its most wanted cyber fugitives, and the U.S. State Department is offering up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest — a reflection of just how seriously Washington views his alleged crimes.

A zero-day exploit turned weapon, a company accused of fronting for foreign intelligence, and a hacker who vanished into the digital ether — this is the story of Guan Tianfeng.

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In this episode of Fugitive Files, we examine the rise of Dagoberto Ramirez-Soto — the alleged leader of a violent criminal enterprise responsible for a string of armed robberies and burglaries targeting Asian American small-business owners between 2017 and 2022. Now one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives, Ramirez-Soto is accused of making false statements, committing identity theft, and obstructing justice to conceal the scope of his operation — a nationwide network built on intimidation, corruption, and cash.

According to federal prosecutors, Ramirez-Soto’s crew operated with the help of inside information from a surprising source: a former NYPD detective, Saul Arismendy De La Cruz, who pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in 2025 after admitting he accepted bribes in exchange for leaking confidential police data to the crew. Court records trace Ramirez-Soto’s criminal history back more than a decade — including a 2011 prison sentence for gold burglaries — but the latest indictment paints a far darker picture, detailing a web of fraud, robbery, and money laundering that extended across state lines.

A trusted cop turned accomplice, a network of thieves targeting the vulnerable, and a fugitive leader still on the run — this is the story of Dagoberto Ramirez-Soto.
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In this episode of Fugitive Files, we investigate Sajid Mir — one of the world’s most elusive terrorists and a key architect behind the 2008 Mumbai attacks, a three-day siege that left 166 people dead, including six Americans. A senior operative of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Mir is accused of directing the assault from afar, guiding gunmen through phone and internet communications as they targeted hotels, a train station, and a Jewish center in coordinated strikes that paralyzed an entire city.

According to U.S. prosecutors, Mir’s reach extended far beyond Mumbai — linking him to a separate LeT plot to attack the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten for publishing controversial cartoons, and to extensive recruitment and reconnaissance operations carried out with convicted terrorist David Coleman Headley. Charged with conspiracy to murder, aiding and abetting the killing of U.S. citizens abroad, and providing material support to terrorism, Mir remains a Most Wanted Terrorist, with a $5 million reward offered for information leading to his capture.

A handler turned phantom, a global network built on ideology and deception, and a trail of violence that spans continents — this is the story of Sajid Mir.
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In this episode of Fugitive Files, we track Pavel Valeryevich Frolov — one of six Russian military intelligence officers indicted for a global cyberattack campaign that left a trail of chaos and nearly $1 billion in damages.

A member of the GRU’s elite hacking unit, Frolov stands accused of unleashing NotPetya, one of the most destructive pieces of malware ever deployed — crippling businesses, hospitals, and governments worldwide. Prosecutors say his operations also targeted the 2017 French elections, the 2018 Winter Olympics, and even U.S. critical infrastructure, including Pennsylvania’s Heritage Valley Health System.

Charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, Frolov faces decades behind bars — but he’s nowhere to be found. The FBI and Rewards for Justice program are offering up to $10 million for information leading to his capture.

A shadow war fought through keyboards, a network of operatives hidden behind screens, and a fugitive hacker wanted by the United States government — this is the story of Pavel Frolov.

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In this episode of Fugitive Files, we track Izmir Ali Koch — a convicted hate criminal who vanished before serving a single day behind bars. Sentenced to 30 months for a brutal, anti-Semitic attack outside a Cincinnati restaurant in 2017, Koch was also found guilty of lying to the FBI. But when the time came to report to prison, he disappeared.

According to the Department of Justice, Koch has deep ties to both Russia and Turkey — and he may have had help. His brother, Baris Koch, now faces federal charges for allegedly handing over a passport and misleading investigators to aid in the escape. With an FBI Most Wanted poster, an outstanding indictment, and a reward on the table, the manhunt is far from over.

A hate crime, a cover-up, and an international flight from justice — this is the story of Izmir Koch.

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In this episode of Fugitive Files, we track Guochun He — a Chinese intelligence officer turned fugitive — accused of playing a high-stakes game inside America’s justice system. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, He and fellow agent Zheng Wang tried to bribe a supposed U.S. insider with $61,000 in Bitcoin for secret information about the Huawei case. What they didn’t know? Their “insider” was working for the FBI. From digital payments to double agents, this episode unravels how a covert operation went sideways — and why the U.S. now calls Guochun He a wanted man.

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He runs a country—and, according to U.S. prosecutors, a cartel. In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a sweeping indictment against Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro Moros, accusing him of transforming his government into a criminal enterprise. The charges? Narco-terrorism, corruption, money laundering, and conspiracy to “flood” the United States with cocaine—using drugs as a weapon of war.

Prosecutors allege Maduro and his allies led the Cártel de Los Soles, working with Colombia’s FARC rebels to move tons of cocaine through Venezuela with military protection. The U.S. doesn’t even recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate president—and has offered up to $50 million for information leading to his capture.

From the presidential palace to the DEA’s most-wanted list, this is the story of power, politics, and powder—where international law meets one of the world’s boldest indictments.

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He called it transparency—the world called it treason. Julian Assange, the polarizing founder of WikiLeaks, spent more than a decade fighting governments, extradition, and the weight of a digital revolution he helped ignite. Accused of conspiring with former Army analyst Chelsea Manning to steal and publish classified U.S. documents, Assange became one of the most controversial figures of the 21st century—hailed by some as a truth-teller, condemned by others as a reckless hacker.

After years of court battles and asylum drama, his story ended not with a trial but a deal: in 2024, Assange pleaded guilty to a single felony under the Espionage Act and was sentenced to time served—the 62 months he’d already spent behind bars in the U.K.

Hero, hacker, or something in between? You decide.

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He grew up in California—listening to death metal, surfing message boards, and clashing with his family. But somewhere along the way, Adam Gadahn traded his suburban rebellion for something far darker. Rebranding himself as “Azzam the American,” Gadahn became al Qaeda’s English-speaking mouthpiece, appearing in propaganda videos that threatened the very country he once called home.

In 2006, the U.S. charged him with treason—the first American in over 50 years to face that accusation—and offered a reward for his capture. His story became a case study in modern extremism: how online radicalization, identity crises, and ideology can intertwine with terrifying results. Gadahn’s life ended in 2015 during a U.S. counterterrorism operation in Pakistan, but his path from fanboy to fugitive remains a haunting chapter in America’s post-9/11 history.

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He promised safe returns. What his investors got instead was a vanishing act. Christopher W. Burns, a former financial advisor turned fugitive, is wanted by the FBI for allegedly running a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme disguised as a “peer-to-peer lending program.” According to federal prosecutors, Burns defrauded dozens of clients—friends, retirees, and longtime investors—out of more than $10 million, using their money to fund his luxury lifestyle and pay off earlier victims.

Indicted on sixteen counts of wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering, Burns disappeared in 2020—just one day before he was due to surrender documents to the SEC. His abandoned SUV was found near the Georgia border, filled with personal belongings. He hasn’t been seen since.

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When “remote work” goes rogue. Jin Sung-Il, a North Korean national now wanted by the FBI, wasn’t freelancing for pocket money—he was allegedly part of a global scheme to funnel nearly a million dollars straight into Pyongyang’s coffers. According to the Department of Justice, Jin and his co-conspirators used stolen identities, fake résumés, and U.S.-based “laptop farms” to trick at least sixty-four American companies into hiring them for IT work. Behind the keyboards? North Korea’s state-sponsored cyber operatives, using American paychecks to fund a sanctioned regime.

With three facilitators already in custody, Jin Sung-Il remains on the run—accused of conspiracy, sanctions evasion, and fraud on a global scale.

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When El Chapo fell, his sons—the infamous Chapitos—rose. Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar and Jesus Alfredo Guzmán Salazar aren’t just cartel royalty, they’re fugitives with $10 million bounties on their heads, accused of running one of the most violent and profitable drug trafficking empires on earth. From orchestrating the “Battle of Culiacán” to flooding the U.S. with fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth, the Guzmán brothers turned their father’s legacy into their own brand of terror. Meanwhile, their half-brother Ovidio Guzmán Lopez has already pleaded guilty, facing billions in drug charges and an $80 million forfeiture deal. But Ivan and Alfredo? They’re still out there.

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Delfino Jimenez Calderon and Luis Jimenez Calderon aren’t just names on an ICE wanted poster—they’re fugitives accused of running a brutal human trafficking operation that preyed on vulnerable young women, forcing them into prostitution and labor. Homeland Security Investigations has tied the brothers to a cross-border trafficking network based in Mexico, one that shattered lives and stretched its reach deep into the United States. Today, we dig into the aliases, the charges, and the manhunt for two brothers who turned exploitation into a business model.

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Raul Gorrin Belisario wasn’t just the owner of a Venezuelan television network—he’s accused of being the mastermind behind a staggering $1.2 billion bribery and money laundering scheme. According to federal indictments, Gorrin conspired with high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including two National Treasurers, to rig foreign currency exchange contracts, funneling illicit profits into shell companies, Swiss accounts, and luxury assets like Miami real estate and private yachts.

Wanted by U.S. authorities and charged with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, money laundering, and more, Gorrin is now one of the most notorious Venezuelan fugitives tied to corruption at the highest levels. His case exposes how dirty money, power, and politics collide on an international stage—and why the chase for Gorrin is far from over.

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Trung Duc Lu isn’t just another fugitive on the run—he’s wanted for one of the most brutal crimes in recent Philadelphia history. In 2014, Lu allegedly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered two brothers, leaving investigators to piece together a trail of violence that shocked the community.

Known for his ties to the violent “Born to Kill” street gang, Lu has operated under multiple aliases, altered birth dates, and carries distinctive tattoos that mark him as a man used to living in the shadows. The FBI believes he’s armed, dangerous, and capable of extreme violence, with deep connections in both New York City and Vietnam.

With a reward of up to $50,000 on the table, law enforcement is still searching for him—and the question remains: how long can Trung Duc Lu stay hidden?

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Jehad Serwan Mostafa isn’t just another name on the FBI’s Most Wanted list—he holds the grim distinction of being the highest-ranking American fighting for al-Shabaab, the terrorist organization wreaking havoc across East Africa.

A former San Diego resident, Mostafa vanished in the mid-2000s and reemerged overseas as a key figure within the group. Federal indictments accuse him of serving as a military instructor, explosives expert, and senior leader, helping guide al-Shabaab’s operations for nearly two decades.

Now, the FBI has placed a staggering $10 million bounty on his head, warning that his actions pose an ongoing threat to U.S. national security and global stability.

This is the story of how an American citizen became one of the world’s most wanted terrorists—and why his capture remains a top priority.

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In December 1968, a crime straight out of a nightmare unfolded in Atlanta, Georgia. Barbara Jane Mackle, a 20-year-old heiress, was kidnapped, drugged, and buried alive in a custom-built fiberglass coffin—with only a small tube for air and limited food and water to keep her alive while her captors demanded ransom.

The plot was masterminded by Gary Steven Krist and his partner, Ruth Eisemann-Schier. But while Krist’s name made headlines, it was Ruth who earned a place in history. When the scheme unraveled and she went on the run, Ruth became the very first woman ever placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.

This is the chilling story of the heiress who survived 83 hours underground, the sophisticated capsule designed to hold her, and the nationwide manhunt that made Ruth Eisemann-Schier an infamous name in criminal history.

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Alexander Lefterov, a Moldovan national, is wanted by U.S. authorities for orchestrating a sprawling cybercrime operation. According to FBI and Secret Service reports, Lefterov allegedly built and controlled a botnet between March and November 2021, infecting thousands of computers worldwide to harvest login credentials and lease stolen access to fellow criminals. Indicted in the Western District of Pennsylvania, he faces charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and aggravated identity theft—crimes that carry steep prison sentences. Despite federal investigations led by both the FBI and the Secret Service, Lefterov remains a fugitive, his digital fingerprints scattered across the dark corners of the internet.

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Christopher Robert Metsos—also known as Pavel Kapustin—was no ordinary fugitive. As the alleged paymaster of Russia’s deep-cover spy ring in the United States, he stood at the center of Operation Ghost Stories, one of the most significant espionage cases since the Cold War. Arrested in Cyprus in 2010 on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent and laundering money, Metsos was granted bail—and then disappeared without a trace. With martial arts training, multiple aliases, and a talent for slipping across borders, he became a ghost in plain sight. Did he escape through Northern Cyprus with Moscow’s help, or simply vanish into the shadows? This episode explores the mystery of the spy who walked free.

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Li Fangwei, better known as Karl Lee, is a Chinese fugitive accused of fueling Iran’s ballistic missile program. For years, Lee allegedly hid behind a web of front companies, funneling millions of dollars in restricted materials in violation of U.S. sanctions. In 2014, the FBI unsealed federal charges and placed him on its Most Wanted list, but the trail didn’t end there. A 2023 indictment revealed that his proliferation network still operates, with associates continuing to supply sensitive materials to Iran. This episode follows the hunt for Karl Lee, the man who became one of the world’s most elusive weapons suppliers—and the global efforts to dismantle his empire.

This is Fugitive Files. Let’s get into it.