FBI adds Turkish national with Florida ties to 'Most Wanted' list in defense fraud case
ORLANDO, Fla. - The FBI is offering a $150,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a Turkish national accused of supplying counterfeit military parts through a defense procurement fraud scheme.
Onur Simsek is believed to be in Turkey but has known ties to Florida.
Alleged scheme targeted U.S. military contracts
The backstory:
Federal investigators allege Simsek and others used a front company between 2019 and 2022 to win Department of Defense contracts by falsely claiming military components were made by a qualified U.S. manufacturer.
Authorities say the parts were actually produced in Turkey, repackaged in the United States to hide their origin and sold to the government.
The FBI said many of the components were intended for Navy aircraft carriers, submarines, Marine Corps armored vehicles and Army tanks. Testing later found the parts failed to meet required specifications, raising concerns they could have affected critical military systems.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Simsek in October 2023 by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, wire fraud, money laundering and export control violations.
What you can do:
The FBI asks anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the FBI and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.