FBI Adds Michael Lizaso Marasigan to Most Wanted List Over $34M Illegal Bingo Scheme
The FBI has placed Michael Lizaso Marasigan on its most wanted list after prosecutors accused him of running an illegal bingo operation that defrauded players out of millions while claiming to support children’s medical care in Hawaii.
Marasigan, a dual U.S.-Philippines citizen, told participants in the Hafa Adai Bingo scheme that proceeds would fund travel for children to Shriners Hospital for Children in Hawaii. Prosecutors say the reality was very different: Marasigan laundered the funds and diverted about $10.7 million to himself and other co-conspirators.
Millions Raised, Millions Stolen: Inside the Hafa Adai Bingo Scheme
A Massive Scheme
- Operated between 2015 and 2021 through the Guam Shrine Club.
- Generated roughly $34 million in gross proceeds over six years.
- After payouts and operating costs, nearly $11 million ended up in the pockets of Marasigan and others.
- Marasigan’s co-defendants, Christine Chan and Jose Arthur “Art” Chan Jr., were indicted in May 2023. All three were convicted on all counts in May 2025 after a five-day jury deliberation.
Federal authorities say none of the money ever made it to the intended charitable cause. “The evidence clearly shows the defendants misled players and profited personally from a scheme that claimed to help sick children,” prosecutors noted during the trial.
From Courtroom to the Run: How Marasigan Vanished After His Conviction
Flight from Justice
After the May 2025 verdict, Marasigan requested permission to travel to the Philippines for medical treatment, a request previously granted multiple times during the case. However, he failed to return in June 2025, claiming he missed a flight. That message was his last contact with his probation officer. A federal arrest warrant followed, and Marasigan remains at large.
Meanwhile, the court has moved to recover the illicit funds:
- Nearly $5.6 million from Marasigan
- $871,500 from Christine Chan
- $339,013 from Art Chan
Sentencing has not yet taken place.
Failed Defense Attempts
Marasigan and the Chans tried multiple strategies to challenge the conviction. They argued that prosecutors had changed their case theory and alleged juror misconduct after jurors gave a thank-you card to the court staff. Both motions were rejected. The court ruled the card harmless and upheld the convictions.
Other Notable Gambling Fugitives
While Marasigan’s case is notable, he is far from the only high-profile gambling-related fugitive:
- Ruja Ignatova, the “Cryptoqueen,” vanished in 2017 after orchestrating the OneCoin cryptocurrency fraud and was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted in 2022.
- Cheung Chi Tai, a former Macau junket executive, fled after charges in mainland China over illegal cross-border gambling.
- Anatoly Tokhtakhounov, a Russian organized crime figure linked to illegal gambling and money laundering, has remained outside U.S. custody for years.
Cases like these underscore the global reach of gambling-related fraud and the lengths some defendants will go to evade justice.
For now, Michael Lizaso Marasigan remains one of the FBI’s top priorities, with authorities seeking his capture and the recovery of millions in diverted funds.
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