Most wanted The FBI's Most Wanted poster for Osama bin Laden, after it had been updated with his 2011 death. Bin Laden made the list for his role in the bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa and stayed on the list after the September 11 attacks. (more) FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/FBI-Ten-Most-Wanted-List Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman to hold that title. Tracy Grant Fact-checked by Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct. 22, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot One of the most iconic lists in U.S. history started with a phone call from a reporter. In 1949 William Kinsey Hutchinson, the editor in chief of the International News Service, asked FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover who the “worst of the worst” U.S. fugitives were. The names Hoover provided yielded a story that garnered national attention and drew leads on the whereabouts of the people named. A year later Hoover officially introduced the FBI’s...

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