Following the arrest of Luigi Mangione, the McDonald's worker who tipped off the police may not be entitled to the reward money.
As widely reported, Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was gunned down in Manhattan on December 4.
Investigators believe the shooter “lay in wait” for five minutes before targeting the 50-year-old executive, as confirmed by the New York Police Department via the Guardian.
At the crime scene, police discovered shell casings engraved with cryptic messages: “deny,” “depose,” and “defend.”
A break in the case came when Mangione allegedly left a trail of evidence, including a backpack containing Monopoly money, clothing, and surveillance footage from multiple locations, such as a cab and a Starbucks.
Mangione was arrested on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania outside of a McDonald's restaurant.
The employee, who reportedly alerted authorities, stated that Mangione appeared to possess fraudulent documents, per the Independent.
The tip proved instrumental in Mangione's arrest and subsequent charges, including murder and firearms violations.
However, it remains unclear whether the McDonald’s worker will receive the reward money.
Authorities offered a combined $60,000 reward - $10,000 from the NYPD and $50,000 from the FBI - for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Thompson’s killer.
Despite the McDonald’s worker’s pivotal role in the arrest, claiming the reward remains uncertain. Both the FBI and NYPD require strict criteria to be met before funds are paid out, as stated by the FBI's website.
The FBI’s $50,000 reward involves a rigorous nomination process. The informant must be nominated by a U.S. investigating agency, such as the FBI or the Department of Defense.
The nomination is then reviewed by an interagency committee and, if deemed eligible, forwarded to the Secretary of State for approval.
Even if approved, the reward amount can vary. The FBI determines payouts based on factors such as the value of the information, the level of threat mitigated, and the source’s cooperation, per USA Today.
Payments are capped at the advertised amount but often fall short of the maximum.
The FBI does not publicly announce reward payouts or disclose recipients, though a confidential report is submitted to Congress.
The NYPD’s $10,000 reward is managed through the Crime Stoppers program. Tipsters must submit information anonymously through a dedicated hotline or website and receive a unique reference number, per the NYPD.
This number is essential for tracking the status of the tip and claiming the reward.
If a tip leads to an arrest and conviction, the New York City Police Foundation and the Crime Stoppers Board of Directors determine whether the informant qualifies for the reward and guide them through the claim process.
Both the FBI and NYPD require an indictment or conviction before releasing any reward funds. This means the McDonald’s worker - and any other eligible tipsters - could face a lengthy wait.
Additionally, if the worker contacted police directly instead of using Crime Stoppers, they might not qualify for the NYPD portion of the reward.
Mangione has not yet been charged with Thompson’s murder, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Until formal charges are filed and a trial leads to a conviction, any reward payouts will remain on hold.