Ibrahim Hilmi, a 58-year-old American businessman, was arrested in Kyrenia and extradited to the United States to face charges related to one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes in history. Hilmi allegedly orchestrated a plan to defraud over $3.7 billion from Medicare through two fake healthcare companies that submitted fraudulent claims for medical equipment that never existed.

The FBI and the US Justice Department, with assistance from partners in Turkey, apprehended Hilmi, who had fled the US in May 2025. Miami-Dade resident Hilmi appeared in a Florida court on Monday, facing charges including health care fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering.

This arrest is part of Operation Gold Rush, a federal initiative targeting transnational fraud networks. US Vice President JD Vance praised the arrest, emphasizing that fraudsters will find no safe haven anywhere in the world.