Yukon Fugitive Caught in UK After 13-Year Manhunt: Mehran Koranki’s $6M Scam Unraveled

OKLAHOMA CITY – In a stunning blow to international fugitives everywhere, Mehran Koranki, 63, a former Yukon resident, has been extradited from the United Kingdom to the United States, bringing an end to a 13-year manhunt that saw the former business owner flee the country after being convicted of mail fraud and money laundering charges.

Koranki’s scheme, which netted him hundreds of thousands of dollars, involved two Oklahoma City companies he owned, which received replacements for broken or defective parts from Nortel Networks through extended warranty agreements. Unbeknownst to the Canadian telecommunications giant, Koranki’s businesses then sold the parts for a profit, violating the terms of the agreement.

After a four-day trial in 2010, a federal grand jury found Koranki guilty of 48 counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering. But before he could be sentenced, Koranki vanished, leaving behind a letter to the court stating he was no longer in the United States and would not be attending the sentencing hearing.

On September 30, 2013, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Koranki in absentia to 156 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $6,010,157.90 in restitution.

It wasn’t until November 2015 that the United States submitted a request to extradite Koranki to the UK authorities. And on February 5, 2024, Koranki was arrested in Manchester, UK, after traveling from Doha, Qatar, on an INTERPOL Red Notice.

Following his extradition, Koranki was transported back to the United States, where he faces the consequences of his crimes. U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester hailed the extradition as a victory for justice, while U.S. Marshal Johnny L. Kuhlman vowed that the Marshals Service will continue to relentlessly pursue international fugitives.

The investigation was led by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and U.S. Marshals Service. Koranki’s extradition is a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies worldwide to bring fugitives to justice.