Since 1950, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has posted a Most Wanted Fugitives list to the public. The idea came from a meeting with then-President Hoover. The list is meant to serve as an aid to law enforcement working to find dangerous individuals, utilizing the public as a resource.
The very first person ever put on the Most Wanted list was Thomas J. Holden. For those unfamiliar, if an individual is placed on the list, they only come off if they are captured, found deceased, or, in rare instances, determined to no longer be an exceptional danger to the public. The FBI advises the public that most individuals on the list should be seen as “armed and dangerous”. They may also be given an “extremely dangerous” designation.
The list currently consists of nine individuals. The tenth fugitive, Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, has recently been captured. The FBI will update the Most Wanted list with a replacement when that person has been determined. Typically, the longer an individual is on the list, the more information from the investigation becomes available. The other nine individuals currently have unknown whereabouts, and the FBI is asking for any information that can be used to help locate them.
Most Wanted: Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel
Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel is of Indian descent and has been on the Most Wanted list since 2017. Patel is accused of murdering his wife, Palek Patel, in 2015 by beating her and then stabbing her multiple times while at work. It is believed that his motive was that Palek was planning to return to India, and it enraged him.
It took authorities over an hour to discover Palek’s body. After the attack, he faced multiple charges, including first-degree murder. Instead of attending court, he fled the city and has not been seen since. Law Enforcement believes he could have fled the country after the murder, and is categorized as extremely dangerous.
Most Wanted: Alejandro Castillo
Alejandro Castillo, an American fluent in both English and Spanish, has been on the wanted list since 2017. Castillo is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend and co-worker, Truc Quan “Sandy” Ly Le. Castillo and his new girlfriend, Ahmia Feaster, picked up Sandy under the guise of paying back the money he owed her. The exact details are not explicit, but it is believed he then robbed Sandy, drove her to a wooded area, and shot her in the head.
The couple dumped the body and escaped the city. Sandy’s body was not found until over a week later, after all three had been reported missing and a search ensued. Castillo was charged with first-degree murder and put on the most wanted list after he fled. Later, Feaster turned herself in across the border in Mexico and claimed Castillo was there as well. It is believed he is likely still in Mexico and is categorized as extremely dangerous.
Most Wanted: Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias
Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, of Honduras, was added to the list in 2021. He is identified by law enforcement as the head MS-13 gang branch in Honduras. Carias is facing multiple charges, including racketeering, cocaine distribution, and firearm distribution. In 2015, he was arrested in Honduras and convicted of illegal gang affiliation and money laundering. During transportation, years later, he received assistance in escaping imprisonment.
The State of New York indicted him in 2021 for his current charges. The FBI soon added him to the fugitive list. Due to Carias’s alleged connection to MS-13, he is likely receiving support and protection from associates or other gang members. He could be hiding anywhere in the United States or Central America and is categorized as extremely dangerous.
Most Wanted: Ruja Ignatova
Ruja Ignatova is the only current female member of the FBI’s fugitive list. A Bulgarian-born, German native, Ignatova is wanted for being the leader of OneCoin, a fraudulent cryptocurrency that took advantage of millions of people worldwide who invested in her scheme, totaling over $1 billion. The New York Times referred to the scam as “one of the biggest scams in history.” Previously, she had been convicted in Germany for fraud and a year later was involved in a scam called BigCoin.
It is believed that Ignatova fled her country after being tipped off that her OneCoin venture was under investigation. Her brother was convicted two years later of fraud in relation to her OneCoin scam. She is not classified as armed and dangerous, but given her history, it is expected that she could again be involved in a fraudulent scheme. She could be traveling anywhere through central or eastern Europe.
Most Wanted: Omar Alexander Cardenas
Omar Alexander Cardenas, an American fugitive, was placed on the list in 2022 after an alleged murder. Cardenas is accused of murdering a man, Jabali Dumas, outside a barbershop in Los Angeles. Law enforcement says he shot Dumas nine times in the head. The motive is not clear, as the connection between the two men is not yet known. The FBI has stated that Cardenas may have fled to Mexico and should be treated as dangerous.
Most Wanted: Wilver Villegas-Palomino
Wilver Villegas-Palomino, a Colombian fugitive, was added to the most wanted list in 2023. Palomino is allegedly the leader of the National Liberation Army, designated a terrorist organization by the United States. Law enforcement says that Palomino was trafficking cocaine to the United States, and Texas indicted him on multiple charges, including narcoterrorism, in 2020. Little else is known about his possible whereabouts, but he is designated as dangerous.
Most Wanted: Vitel’Homme Innocent
A Haitian national, Vitel’Homme Innocent, was added to the list in 2023. He is allegedly the leader of the Haitian-based Kraze Barye gang. He has been accused of and charged with involvement in multiple crimes, including the kidnapping of 17 Christian Haitian missionaries in 2021, kidnapping an American couple in 2022 and killing the female, and murdering four police officers. He is likely protected by his gang associates and is considered dangerous.
Most Wanted: Fausto Isidro Meza Flores
Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, of Mexico, was added to the most wanted list in 2025. He is an alleged Mexican drug lord, leader of the Los Mazatlecos, and part of the Mexican drug cartels. The FBI alleges this involvement indicates he is the leader of the Meza-Flores Transnational Criminal Organization. The group is known for trafficking many types of drugs into the United States, including but not limited to heroin, cocaine, and meth.
Flores was indicted on drug trafficking charges and illegal use of a firearm in Washington, DC in 2012 and again on federal indictment in 2019. Although not charged, he is also reportedly connected to multiple murders across Mexico. He is considered armed and dangerous by the FBI and also believed to be an international flight risk, although he is assumed to be in Mexico. He is likely protected by multiple cartel associates.
Most Wanted: Ryan James Wedding
As of this writing, Ryan James Wedding is the most recent addition to the list, added in the first week of March 2025. He is Canadian-born and has been accused of transnational drug trafficking from Colombia to Canada. Wedding was a former Olympic snowboarder before becoming a drug trafficker. Wedding was in and out of trouble, being investigated for marijuana distribution and arrested in 2010 for attempting to buy cocaine.
Wedding has been charged with drug trafficking of cocaine, along with leading a criminal organization and multiple murders. Although the transnational drug network he was involved in was not known, it is believed he ordered multiple hits during his time as leader. He is designated as dangerous and may be in Mexico currently. He is likely protected by associates.
Final Thoughts
In order to catch the dangerous individuals on the list, the FBI needs help through public clues and offers rewards for anyone who provides clues that help catch the fugitives. Reports can also be made anonymously. It is important to note that the list is updated frequently with information, and that the public should be extremely careful if they know the individuals. The Most Wanted list has helped the FBI catch hundreds of criminals who are on the run and continues to do so.
