FBI puts German conman on Most Wanted Fraudster list

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has added a German conman, who is believed to be in Munich, to its Most Wanted Fraudster list after he fled the US following his conviction for investment fraud, the agency said on Friday.

The 65-year-old businessman is alleged to have defrauded several investors of more than $20 million between 2014 and 2017.

He had persuaded victims in California to invest in his company, the FBI said. "Fritsch convinced victims to invest in his company's application, known as StarSite, technology he claimed could help celebrities and social media influencers monetize their brand endorsements.

"He also claimed the app would deliver advertising content and share ad revenue with the celebrity poster."

Rather than investing the money raised in developing his product, he used part of it, the FBI said, "to enrich himself and support his luxurious lifestyle." This included financing luxury cars, upgrades to his yacht and renovations to his villa in Malibu.

Prosecutors estimated the total loss to victims to be at least $26.8 million. A jury in Los Angeles found him guilty in April 2025, but he subsequently fled to Mexico.

Mexican law enforcement authorities detained the German in September 2025 after finding him with forged identity documents. Following his release from immigration detention, he was ordered to report every two weeks.

According to the FBI, he fled to Munich on October 6, 2025. The agency believes he is in or near the Bavarian state capital.

In his absence, he was sentenced to 15 years in a federal prison, a fine of $35,000 and restitution of $26.8 million.