Reward Increases to $1 Million for FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Bhadreshkumar Patel
Up to $1 Million Reward Offered for Information Leading to Patel’s Capture
BALTIMORE, MD / March 10, 2026 —The FBI is increasing the reward for information leading to the arrest of Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel. The FBI is offering up to a $1 million reward, which is now the standard reward amount for fugitives placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, increasing from $250,000.
Fugitive Bhadreshkumar Patel is wanted for the violent murder of his wife, Palak Patel, on April 12, 2015. He should be considered armed and extremely dangerous.
“We hope this $1 million reward attracts greater attention to our tireless search for Bhadreshkumar Patel and leads to tips we need to provide justice for Palak Patel, who was brutally murdered by her husband,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “The increased reward reflects the seriousness of Patel’s crime and all the cases on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List.”
Bhadreshkumar Patel was named to the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives on April 18, 2017, becoming the 514th addition to the list.
Bhadreshkumar Patel is wanted for murdering his 21-year-old wife at a donut shop at 7567 Arundel Mills Boulevard in Hanover, where they both worked the night shift. Investigators believe Bhadreshkumar Patel killed Palak, in a back room just before midnight on April 12, 2015, allegedly stabbing his wife multiple times then fleeing.
After leaving the donut shop, Bhadreshkumar Patel walked across the street to the apartment he shared with his wife, retrieved a few items and some cash, and then hailed a taxi. The cab driver took him to a hotel in New Jersey near Newark Liberty International Airport. He checked in around 3 a.m. with no bags, just the clothes on his back. He checked out around 10 a.m. and took a hotel shuttle to Newark Penn Station. That’s his last confirmed sighting.
Anyone with information concerning Bhadreshkumar Patal should take no action themselves but should immediately call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. All information can remain anonymous, and confidentiality is guaranteed. Individuals calling from outside of the United States should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List is one of the longest running and most recognizable law enforcement initiatives in U.S. history. Since its creation in 1950, the program has relied on national publicity and public participation to assist in the capture of dangerous fugitives. 538 fugitives have appeared on the list, and 500 have been apprehended or located, many due to tips from citizens. Since its inception, there have been 20 fugitives placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list from the Baltimore Field Office which covers Maryland and Delaware.
Additional information on Patel can be found here: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/baltimore/news/press-releases/man-wanted-for-murder-in-hanover-added-to-the-fbis-ten-most-wanted-fugitives-list. Wanted posters in English, French, Gujarati, Hindi, and Marathi can be found at this link: www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten
FBI Baltimore is one of the 56 FBI field offices located in the United States. The mission of the FBI is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. For more information, visit www.fbi.gov or www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/baltimore.
FBI Baltimore
FBI Baltimore Press Office
BaltimoreMedia@fbi.gov
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
