By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-11 18:22:17 | Updated at 2024-12-22 07:00:44
1 week ago
The tipster who alerted law enforcement to suspected assassin Luigi Mangione's whereabouts could have an uphill battle to claim their $60,000 reward.
Mangione, 26, was apprehended at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York last week.
The suspect was captured after a five-day manhunt after an employee at the restaurant recognized him from surveillance footage images released by the police.
A $10,000 reward was being offered by the NYPD as well as $50,000 by the FBI for information that could help lead them to Mangione.
However, fine print on the FBI's website states that the money will only be offered up if the intel leads to arrest and conviction.
Mangione is currently in jail in Pennsylvania where he is fighting extradition to New York for a charge of second-degree murder in connection to Thompson’s death, meaning any potential conviction could be a long while coming.
In more high-profile cases, FBI tipsters must be nominated by an investigating agency rather than themselves in order to receive a payout.
Once a nomination is received, a cross-agency committee reviews it and refers it to the secretary of state who has the final say.
The tipster who alerted law enforcement to suspected assassin Luigi Mangione's whereabouts could have an uphill battle to claim their $60,000 reward
Even if these steps are completed, the check amount can vary depending on the quality of the information given, threat level and the risk the source faced, USA Today reports.
Meanwhile, the NYPD reward is administered through Crimestoppers, which gives each informant a unique reference number.
The number is then used in an application to the NYC Police Foundation and the Crime Stoppers Board of Directors who review the claim.
The tipster's identity has yet to be released, however the McDonald's where they worked has since been flooded with negative reviews referencing 'rats' in the restaurant.
Mangione is fighting his extradition, with his lawyer claiming he has seen 'no evidence' his client is the man responsible for the death of Thompson, 50.
'We've seen no evidence. That's why we're challenging the extradition at this point, so we can see some evidence and get a little more detailed information about the charges against Luigi,' Defense attorney Thomas Dickey told ABC.
But in an internal report seen by the New York Times, police said that Mangione is the culprit and believe he 'likely views himself as a hero of sorts who has finally decided to act upon such injustices.'
A $10,000 reward was being offered by the NYPD as well as $50,000 by the FBI for information which could help lead them to the suspect
He was picked up at this McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania following a tip from an employee
But there are several hoops the informant will have to jump through before they are able to obtain either reward. Pictured: Victim Brian Thompson, 50, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare
Mangione 'appeared to view the targeted killing of the company’s highest-ranking representative as a symbolic takedown and a direct challenge to its alleged corruption and power games.'
Fingerprints collected at the scene of Thomson's murder reportedly match those of Luigi Mangione, CNN said on Wednesday.
This would be the first scientific, forensic match tying Mangione to the scene.
