He was on the FBI’s Most Wanted list. Now he’s running for Congress

Bobby Khan, a former celebrity car dealer who served eight months in prison for wire fraud, is making a congressional bid in Nevada’s 1st Congressional District against Rep. Dina Titus.

The Las Vegas resident is one of several Republicans who hope to defeat the longtime Democratic congresswoman. Candidates include state Sen. Carrie Buck, who recently announced her congressional bid, and perennial candidate Jim Marchant. The primary election is June 9, 2026.

“I know what it takes to fight, and that’s what people need,” Khan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “People need people that are real.”

Khan appeared on the FBI’s Most Wanted list for allegedly defrauding people through his high-end car dealership in New Jersey, though he continues to claim he was not responsible and says he was a victim of lawfare. He was sentenced to a 24-month term in prison and three years of supervised release. His probation ends in eight months, he said.

“I don’t care about what people have to say about my past,” Khan said. “I’m putting my past out there. I am a convicted felon. There’s 80 million Americans in this country with a criminal record, including our president.”

Khan, who works now as a consultant for law firms, embraces his criminal record; his campaign website features “Wanted for Congress” posters and edited photos of him wearing both a business suit and an orange jumpsuit. He said his history “fighting the system” is what prompted him to run for Congress.

His platform includes zero taxes for veterans, no taxes for gambling winnings and prison reform.

Prison is a “complete joke” where people languish, he said. When they leave, they can’t get a job, so they go back to committing crimes to feed themselves, Khan said. He’d like to see corporations hire non-violent offenders to work in their factories at minimum wage, tax-free. That way they can send money home and will also have money to fall back on when they leave, Khan said.

“I’ve been in prison, I’ve been in jail,” he said. “I know what people go through, I know what the families go through. I can actually talk about prison reform better than any politician or ex-celebrity out there.”

Khan moved to Las Vegas when he was released from prison in 2023, though he’s visited many times before. He thinks the biggest issues facing Nevadans are energy costs, inflation and education.

He said his Republican opponents were part of the “old guard” and represent the establishment.

“I’m not here to make friends,” he said. “I’m here to win. I’m here to fight for the people. I don’t care about the establishment. I’m here for the people.”

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.