FBI makes first arrest from its ‘most wanted fraudsters’ list
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the first arrest tied to the bureau’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list. Said Ereg, a Minneapolis man, is accused of stealing more than $4.2 million from a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minnesota Senate candidate Michele Tafoya said the case underscores the need to hold those accused of fraud accountable.
Ronald L. Fischer, a former Rhode Island anesthesiologist who vanished more than two decades ago while standing trial on child sexual assault charges, has been captured aboard a sailboat off the New Jersey coast after a tip from an online sleuth helped authorities close in, the FBI said.
Fischer had been considered one of Rhode Island’s longest-sought fugitives since he fled the state during his 2005 sexual assault trial. He failed to return to court, and a jury later found him guilty in absentia of first-degree sexual assault, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Law enforcement agencies continued searching for him for more than 20 years.
The investigation eventually led authorities to New York, where they determined Fischer was operating a 56-foot sailboat called The Silver Lining. Officials said the vessel was registered under the alias “Richard Graydon.”
Ronald L. Fischer, a former anesthesiologist and one of Rhode Island’s longest-wanted fugitives, was captured after more than 20 years on the run, authorities said. (Rhode Island State Police)
Deputy U.S. marshals, FBI agents and U.S. Coast Guard personnel intercepted the sailboat off the coast of New Jersey and arrested Fischer without incident, according to the FBI Boston Division.
FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks said the case broke open after investigators received “a tip from an online sleuth,” which pointed them to the boat linked to Fischer under the alias Robert Graydon.
“Ronald Fischer thought he had escaped justice but thanks to a tip from an online sleuth, the FBI was able to develop new intelligence which led investigators to the boat belonging to Fischer under his alias Robert Graydon,” Docks said. “That’s when the FBI and the RI Violent Fugitive Task Force coordinated a multi-state law enforcement operation that resulted in Fischer’s capture. This is truly a testament to our strong law enforcement partnerships that allow for the seamless sharing of intelligence in real-time to take violent criminals off our streets.”
Fischer was transported aboard a U.S. Coast Guard vessel to Coast Guard Station Staten Island, where he was turned over to deputy U.S. marshals and local law enforcement officials.
A Rhode Island State Police wanted photo of Ronald L. Fischer displays a “Captured” banner after authorities arrested him more than two decades after he fled during his sexual assault trial. (FBI)
“This arrest demonstrates that time does not erase accountability,” U.S. Marshal Wing Chau for the District of Rhode Island said in a statement.
“For more than twenty years, Ronald Fischer believed he had successfully escaped justice,” Chau continued. “The men and women of the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force, together with our partners, remained committed to ensuring that day would eventually come.”
Rhode Island State Police said Fischer’s arrest brought an end to one of the state’s longest-running fugitive investigations, crediting generations of investigators who continued pursuing the case over the past two decades.
A U.S. Marshals Service deputy wears tactical gear during a fugitive operation. Ronald L. Fischer was captured after more than 20 years on the run following a multi-agency investigation led by the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force. (Getty Images)
“We are proud of the persistent, coordinated work that brought him to justice and the numerous Troopers, both currently serving and retired, who pursued this case for the last two decades,” Rhode Island State Police said in a statement. “They never stopped seeking justice for his victim and we are thankful for their dedication.”
The arrest capped an intensive multi-state investigation led by the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force with assistance from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police and numerous federal, state and local agencies.
Authorities credited FBI special agents and intelligence analysts with helping locate Fischer after more than two decades on the run.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Fischer had been living under the alias “Richard Graydon” before coordinating with federal, state and local partners to arrest him.
INC News has reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard for additional details about Fischer’s life as a fugitive, the investigation that led to his capture and whether photos or video of the arrest will be released.
