EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — Prior to Luigi Mangione's arrest, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) put him on their most wanted list, offering a $50,000 reward.
An employee from a McDonald's in Altoona reportedly called the police after recognizing Mangione, but there is some protocol in place before this person will be paid out.
It's a question on the minds of many: Should the McDonald's employee who called the police to report Luigi Mangione receive his or her reward?
"Absolutely. If it wasn't for him he would have eaten and taken off and nobody would have found him," said Swoyersville resident James Gonzalez.
Getting that reward is a bit more complicated.
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The $50,000 from the FBI likely won't be handed out until someone is convicted or formally charged.
According to the FBI's website, a US investigating agency must first nominate a person to receive the reward. That nomination will be reviewed legally by an agency committee.
That committee will then make a recommendation to the secretary of state, who has full discretion.
The secretary of state can even change the amount of the reward. Then, the attorney general needs to agree to the reward being given out.
So, the McDonald's employee may not receive payment for quite some time, or ever.
The FBI usually does not disclose if a reward is paid. A high-profile case could change this fact, but it's not guaranteed.
