Washington, March 18 The FBI has increased the reward money to USD one million for tips on fugitives on its Ten Most Wanted list, which includes an Indian national who is on the run in a 11-year-old murder case, and features for the first time a cyber criminal wanted for allegedly leading an international ATM jackpotting scheme.
Addressing a press conference here, Heith R Janke, Assistant Director, Criminal Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), said that three fugitives were added to the Ten Most Wanted list last week, and one was arrested soon after the listing.
The Indian national, Bhadreshkumar Chetanbhai Patel, has been on the run after allegedly killing his wife on April 12, 2015, in a doughnut shop in Hanover, Maryland, and was last spotted in Newark, New Jersey.
The FBI said that Bhadreshkumar Patel is now about 35 years old and should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous."
A report in the Washington Post said that Patel has been on the Top Ten list since 2017, and remains the longest-tenured person on the current list.
Samuel Ramirez Jr, Trung Duc Lu and Anibal Aguirre were added to the Ten Most Wanted list last week, Janke said, adding that Ramirez was arrested in Mexico following a tip-off from community members soon after his listing.
"In addition to these three additions, the FBI is increasing the standard reward for all current Ten Most Wanted Fugitives to up to USD one million," Janke told reporters on Tuesday.
Previously, the reward money was USD 250,000.
The FBI official said that Aguirre's inclusion was historic as he was the first cyber fugitive ever to feature on the Ten Most Wanted list.
"Aguirre is wanted for allegedly leading a large-scale international ATM jackpotting scheme linked to the foreign terrorist organization TdA," Hanke said.
He said that Aguirre's inclusion reflects the FBI's commitment to pursuing cyber-enabled financial crime at the highest levels, and signals that no matter the method, serious criminals will be pursued with the full weight of this program.
According to Janke, the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program is one of the most effective and enduring law enforcement initiatives in American history.
Established on March 4th, 1950, it is built on a straightforward but powerful premise: public awareness is one of the most effective tools law enforcement has.
"By sharing photographs, identifying details, and case information widely through media, online platforms, and international partners, the FBI dramatically expands its ability to locate dangerous fugitives," he said.
Janke said that since the program began, 540 fugitives have appeared on this list; 501 have been apprehended or located, with a success rate of 93 per cent. In 163 of these cases, a tip from a member of the public made a difference.
Janke said that many fugitives on this list are believed to have crossed international borders, demonstrating how essential international collaboration has become in the pursuit of justice.
Global media coverage has directly contributed to 65 Ten Most Wanted Fugitive apprehensions and/or locations outside of the United States, the FBI official said.