McDonald’s Employee Who Dialed 911 During CEO’s Shooting Qualifies for Reward, But There’s a Delay

PHILADELPHIA—Over 400 tips were submitted to the New York Police Department’s Crime Stoppers tip line during the five-day hunt for a masked gunman who ambushed and shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally last week.

NYPD officials reported that approximately 30 of those tips provided valuable insights regarding the gunman’s movements before and after the incident on December 4. However, it was a 911 call from a McDonald’s employee in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday that allowed police to hone in on a suspect.

The FBI and the Crime Stoppers program had announced up to $60,000 in rewards for anyone providing a tip that could lead to advancements in the case. Despite police and prosecutors acting swiftly to arrest and charge 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, the actual distribution of rewards may take significantly longer and could be less than the advertised amounts after tax considerations and the contributions of each tip are assessed.

Officials are still determining who qualifies for a reward or a portion of one. The federal and local reward programs have different guidelines, but both allow for multiple rewards of varying amounts based on the effectiveness of the tips.

How does someone become eligible for a reward?

The FBI’s reward program, which offered up to $50,000 for this case, stipulates that a tip or information must lead to an arrest and subsequent conviction.

Though calls and emails to the FBI press office inquiring about the specific reward program process went unanswered, the agency’s various reward program websites outline similar procedures. A tipster must typically be nominated by a federal investigative agency. A review board then evaluates the tip’s impact on the investigation and decides whether to award the full amount.

In the case of the NYPD Crime Stoppers award, which is funded by the New York City Police Foundation and the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, the tip line usually rewards up to $3,500 for information that leads to an arrest and indictment. In this particular case, the Detective Bureau raised that amount to $10,000, requiring a conviction for its portion.

“The assistance of the public is crucial in solving crimes and maintaining safe communities,” the Police Foundation board stated on Wednesday. “The individual in Pennsylvania who provided a tip is eligible for a reward.”

The McDonald’s employee who called 911 provided a name and number, whereas tipsters calling the Crime Stoppers line remain anonymous. The program guarantees that it will not trace cell phone numbers or collect caller information, instead giving each tipster a unique identifier to follow the status of their tip and any potential rewards.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny will review which tips were significant in cracking the case in order to determine the allocation of Detective Bureau reward funds, according to police officials.

When might money be awarded?

Typically, rewards are contingent upon a conviction. Considering the serious nature of the murder charges and the involvement of multiple jurisdictions, a trial could take a year or more to commence.

As for the $3,500 from Crime Stoppers, the board may opt to issue reward funds after the indictment process concludes. Both the FBI and Crime Stoppers have boards that review tips, liaise with detectives involved in the investigation, and determine which tips were substantially impactful. The boards possess some flexibility in deciding the amounts awarded for each valid tip.

The Crime Stoppers board has the discretion to distribute reward money across multiple tips or to assess each case individually based on its merits.

While NYPD officials did not specify how any of the 30 tips contributed to the case, it is unlikely that each tipster will be awarded the highest amount put forth.

How has money been awarded in the past?

The police foundation and the FBI do not publicize individual case details or disclose the reward amounts received by specific tipsters.

Programs such as the Rewards for Justice program have seen the FBI allocate millions over the past two decades. In some instances, the FBI announces reward amounts while keeping the identities of the tipsters confidential. More commonly, the agency submits a private report to Congress, outlining tips and corresponding rewards.

Similar protocols are followed by Crime Stoppers. The program maintains confidentiality to protect the anonymity of tipsters. It highlights notable cases on its website where tips have significantly contributed to solving crimes, including an April 2022 mass shooting where tips led to the arrest and guilty plea of Frank James.

By Claudia Lauer