Evil millionaire on Most Wanted list seen secretly living like a king on island thousands of miles away

Nypost · Aug 12, 2026 · 546 words · By Ross O'Keefe

International Fugitives criminal justice Financial Fraud

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What to know about International Fugitives

Evil millionaire on Most Wanted list seen secretly living like a king on island thousands of miles away See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 19

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center67%

Right33%

3 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Evil millionaire on Most Wanted list seen secretly living like a king on island thousands of miles away See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The California Post on Google A fraudster on the run from the FBI for scamming bingo players out of tens of millions of dollars meant for a children’s hospital program has been spotted living it up in the Philippines.

Common ground

Michael Marasigan, who is on the Most Wanted list, was seen at a swanky restaurant in the country’s capital, Manila, Pacific Daily News reports.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this International Fugitives story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that If Marasigan is caught in the Philippines, he will still need to be extradited to the US. Such extradition is not automatic and is subject to an appeal process, the Philippine Consulate General said?
How does this story connect International Fugitives with criminal justice over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/us-news/fbi-most-wanted-list-bingo-scammer-spotted…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 80% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 19 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 9

check_circle Corroborated 6

help Insufficient Evidence 2

info Single Source 2

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Claim 1: “If Marasigan is caught in the Philippines, he will still need to be extradited to the US. Such extradition is not automatic and is subject to an appeal process, the Philippine Consulate General said.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “Marasigan’s scheme generated at least $34 million.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Marasigan was sentenced in May to nearly 22 years in prison for his role in scamming patrons at a Guam bingo hall from March 2015 to December 2021.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Marasigan was sentenced in absentia to nearly 22 years (specifically 262 months) for scamming Guam bingo hall patrons between 2015 and 2021.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of events effecting Philippine television in 1989. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and channel launches, closures and rebrandings, as well…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_in_Philippine_television

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cebu Air, Inc. (PSE: CEB), operating as Cebu Pacific (stylized in all lowercase), is a Philippine low-cost airline based in Pasay, Metro Manila. Founded in 1988, the airline is the first low-cost carr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cebu_Pacific

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mister Pilipinas Worldwide (commonly abbreviated as MPW) is a male beauty pageant and organization that selects the Philippines' official representatives to major international pageants such as Mister…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Pilipinas_Worldwide

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The outlet reported its sighting of Marasigan, and the FBI reached out in June.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “He’s a dual citizen of the US and the Philippines.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 6: “He misrepresented that funds would be used for transporting children to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Hawaii for medical care.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the fraud involved misrepresenting that funds were for transporting children to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Hawaii.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán (Spanish: [maɾˈθelojˈlaɾjo ðel piˈlaɾ]; Tagalog: [maɾˈselo ʔɪˈlaɾjo del pɪˈlaɾ]; August 30, 1850 – July 4, 1896), commonly known as Marcelo H. del Pilar and also …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_H._del_Pilar

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Marikina (), officially the City of Marikina (Filipino: Lungsod ng Marikina), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a popul…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marikina

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — He misrepresented that funds would be used for transporting children to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Hawaii for medical care. He was found guilty in May 2025 on charges of conspiracy to oper…
https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/us-news/fbi-most-wanted-list-b…

+ 2 more evidence sources

help

Claim 7: “The chain offers meals for roughly PHP 2,000 per person, about $32 each”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the specific cost per person at Las Flores restaurants.

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Claim 8: “Marasigan fled the US and evaded a court order to return after a medical release to the Philippines was granted.”

CORROBORATED

Sources confirm Marasigan was granted a medical release to the Philippines but failed to return to the US as ordered by the court.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Eraserheads (sometimes stylized as ƎRASERHEADS or ƎRASƎRHƎADS) are a Filipino rock band formed in Quezon City in 1989. The band consists of lead singer and primary songwriter Ely Buendia, guitarist Ma…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eraserheads

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Jessica Marasigan is a Filipino model and beauty queen. She became a Pinoy Big Brother: 737 regular housemate, a GirlTrend member on It's Showtime, one of Miss Philippines Earth 2017 titleholders and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Marasigan

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The music of the Philippines (Filipino: Musika ng Pilipinas) includes the musical performance arts in the Philippines and the music of Filipinos composed in various local and international genres and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Philippines

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 9: “Michael Marasigan, who is on the Most Wanted list, was seen at a swanky restaurant in the country’s capital, Manila, Pacific Daily News reports.”

CORROBORATED

Pacific Daily News and Hawaii News Now both report that Marasigan was seen and photographed at a restaurant in Manila.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On March 11, 2025, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the Philippine National Police and Interpol in Oplan Tugis (lit. 'Operation Pursuit') under an International Criminal Cou…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrest_of_Rodrigo_Duterte

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Sky Cable Corporation, doing business as Sky, is a Philippine telecommunications company based in Diliman, Quezon City. It is a subsidiary of the media conglomerate ABS-CBN Corporation, it offers broa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sky_Cable_Corporation

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 10: “He was found guilty in May 2025 on charges of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering conspiracy, money laundering and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources, including CrimeOwl AI and news reports, confirm he was found guilty in May 2025 of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, money laundering, and wire fraud.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Michael Edward Gil Eigenmann (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈhil ˈaɪɡɛnmɐn]; born May 24, 1960), known professionally as Michael de Mesa (Tagalog pronunciation: [de ˈmɛsa]), is a Filipino actor and director…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_de_Mesa

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Parasite Island is a 2019 Philippine television drama fantasy series broadcast by ABS-CBN. Directed by Avel E. Sunpongco and Richard I. Arellano, starring Rafael Rosell, Bernard Palanca, Michael Flore…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasite_Island

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 11: “In the newly published photos of Marasigan, a flower symbol corresponds to a Manila chain of upscale Spanish restaurants under the Las Flores brand.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim regarding the flower symbol and the Las Flores brand is mentioned in the Pacific Daily News report, but the provided web search results for 'Google Photos' and 'iCloud' are generic and do not corroborate the specific visual evidence.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Edit and enhance photos with AI-powered features like Magic Eraser and Unblur on Google Photos. Store, organize & search your memories.
https://photos.google.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — View, organize, and share photos and videos with iCloud Photos on the web. Changes will sync across your devices with iCloud.
https://www.icloud.com/photos

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Home for all your photos and videos, automatically organized and easy to share.
https://accounts.google.com/InteractiveLogin?service=lh2

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Claim 12: “He was also ordered to pay $10,750,804 in joint and several restitution to the Aloha Shriners, a $5,871,493 money judgment forfeiture, and $6,500 in mandatory assessment fees.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 13: “Manila is about 1,600 miles away from where Marasigan allegedly committed his fraud scheme in Guam.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 14: “They have five restaurants in Manila.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While search results confirm the existence of Las Flores restaurants in Manila (Podium, Sofitel, BGC), they do not explicitly state that there are exactly five locations.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — MANILA, Philippines – If you want to dine in an intimate and exclusive setting, Las Flores Dining Plus+ is your perfect haven. With only 20 seats, it is open for reservations for those who want to enj…
https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/377566/las-flores-dining-plus…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Las Flores is located at The Podium, right in the heart of the bustling city and surrounded by the various offices, commercial centers, and hotels in Ortigas.The restaurant itself is located at Sofite…
https://www.wheninmanila.com/8-restaurants-where-you-can-bri…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Discover Las Flores restaurant in BGC, serving exquisite Spanish cuisine perfect for dining out in Uptown. Join us for a memorable night! Last updated 2026-07-27.Visita Las Flores en BGC para disfruta…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/las-flores-restaurant-bgc

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Claim 15: “He and his co-conspirators allegedly laundered the money and kept about $10.75 million for themselves.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 16: “A fraudster on the run from the FBI for scamming bingo players out of tens of millions of dollars meant for a children’s hospital program has been spotted living it up in the Philippines.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (Hawaii News Now, Pacific Daily News) confirm that Michael Marasigan, an FBI fugitive involved in a bingo scam targeting funds for Shriners Children's, has been spotted in the Philippines.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A fugitive on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, convicted of stealing money meant to fly sick children to Shriners Children’s Hawaiʻi for care, has apparently been spot…
https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/08/11/fbi-most-wanted-fra…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Marasigan, who is on the FBI Most Wanted list, was seen at a swanky restaurant in the Philippines capital Manila. Pacific Daily News Julianne Hernandez.
https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/us-news/fbi-most-wanted-list-b…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Michael Marasigan, center, photographed by staff from the Pacific Daily News, seen leaving a café in the Philippines on March 15, 2026. He was convicted by a federal jury in May 2025 and later sentenc…
https://www.guampdn.com/news/fugitive-hafa-adai-bingo-ringle…

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Claim 17: “The FBI is offering $150,000 for information leading to Marasigan’s arrest and conviction.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 18: “For comparison, fast food in Manila averages $4 per person.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 19: “Main courses and paellas average between PHP 600 to PHP 1,500, or $16 in US dollars.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the average price of main courses and paellas at Las Flores.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.