The FBI has added Turkish national Onur Simsek to its Most Wanted Fraudsters list for an alleged defense procurement fraud scheme, the General Services Administration announced.
Simsek, a repeat offender believed to be residing in Turkey, is accused of defrauding the U.S. Department of War through a sophisticated scheme. He allegedly supplied improperly sourced and falsely represented military components for high-priority weapons systems, including Navy Nimitz- and Ford-class aircraft carriers, submarines, U.S. Marine Corps armored vehicles and Army M1 Abrams tanks.
According to court records and investigative findings, Simsek allegedly used a U.S.-based front company to fraudulently pose as a vetted domestic manufacturer. The parts were actually manufactured in Turkey using sensitive, export-controlled U.S. technical drawings. The scheme was investigated by the GSA Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement partners.
Simsek has a history of similar offenses. He was convicted in 2018 in the Southern District of Florida for a prior procurement fraud scheme.
"Simsek's alleged procurement fraud deprived taxpayers of value, denied honest businesses fair opportunity, and diverted critical resources from American warfighters," said GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst in a statement.