Afzal Khan, a businessman originally from Edinburgh who spent more than five years on the run from U.S. authorities, is seeking to become a congressman in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District. Khan, who was once listed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for white-collar criminals, has embraced his past in his campaign materials, featuring "Wanted for Congress" posters on his official website.
Khan, 44, handed himself in to authorities in the United Arab Emirates in February 2020 and was extradited to the United States. He subsequently pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. The charges stemmed from a luxury car dealership he operated in New Jersey, Emporio Motor Group, founded in 2013. The U.S. District Court of New Jersey heard that Khan obtained loans for cars that were never delivered to purchasers, who remained responsible for the loans. In other instances, cars were delivered without title documents, leaving buyers unable to register the vehicles. Khan also accepted cars for sale from customers but neither returned the vehicles nor provided proceeds from their sale.
He was sentenced in September 2022 to two years in prison and ordered to pay £2.8 million in restitution to his victims. Khan served eight months of his sentence before his release. He has since relocated to Las Vegas.
Khan stated that his experience with the justice system inspired him to enter politics, particularly his belief that his case could have been handled in civil court. In a campaign video set in front of a prison cell, he declared, "I’m not running from my past, I’m running for Congress because of it. I’m going to fight the system that has been screwing Americans for ages."
His political platform includes eliminating taxes for veterans and gambling winnings, as well as advocating for prison reform. Khan, who maintains his innocence, explained that he accepted the plea deal because he felt he would not receive a fair trial and might face a lengthy prison sentence.
Han, whose parents were Pakistani, moved to the U.S. over 30 years ago. He gained public attention during his time in New Jersey, appearing on the reality TV show "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" and counting cast members among his clientele. Police and the FBI attempted to arrest him in October 2014, but he had already fled. He was placed on the FBI's list of 10 Most Wanted fugitives.