Most Wanted List

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What is the FBI?
The FBI is the principal investigative arm of the United States Department of Justice. It has the authority and responsibility to investigate specific crimes assigned to it. The FBI also is authorized to provide other law enforcement agencies with cooperative services, such as fingerprint identification, laboratory examinations, and police training.

What is the mission of the FBI?
The mission of the FBI is to uphold the law through the investigation of violations of federal criminal law; to protect the United States from foreign intelligence and terrorist activities; to provide leadership and law enforcement assistance to federal, state, local, and international agencies; and to perform these responsibilities in a manner that is responsive to the needs of the public and is faithful to the Constitution of the United States.

When was the FBI founded?
On July 26, 1908, then-Attorney General Charles J. Bonaparte appointed an unnamed force of Special Agents to be the investigative force of the Department of Justice. The FBI evolved from this small group.

Who is the head of the FBI?
The FBI is headed by a Director who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for a term not to exceed ten years. The current Director of the FBI is Robert S. Mueller, III.

How is the FBI organized?
The FBI is headquartered in Washington D.C. The offices and divisions at FBI Headquarters provide program direction and support to 56 field offices, approximately 400 satellite offices known as resident agencies, four specialized field installations, and more than 60 international liaison offices known as Legal Attachés.

How many people are employed by the FBI?
On March 31, 2010, the FBI had 33,925 employees, including 13,492 special agents and 20,433 professional staff. On that date, we employed a total of 14,875 women, 8,236 minorities, and 1,197 persons with disabilities.

Is the FBI a type of national police force?
No. The FBI is an investigative component of the United States Department of Justice. It is one of 32 federal agencies with law enforcement responsibilities.

How accurately is the FBI portrayed in books, television shows, and motion pictures?
Any author, television script writer, or producer may consult with the FBI about closed cases or our operations, services, or history. However, there is no requirement that they do so, and the FBI does not edit or approve their work. Some authors, television programs, or motion picture producers offer reasonably accurate presentations of our responsibilities, investigations, and procedures in their story lines, while others present their own interpretations or introduce fictional events, persons, or places for dramatic effect. Learn more about working with the FBI.

What are the primary investigative functions of the FBI?
The FBI's mandate, the broadest of all federal investigative agencies, authorizes it to investigate all federal criminal violations that have not been specifically assigned by Congress to another federal agency. The FBI's investigative functions fall into the categories of applicant matters; civil rights; counterterrorism; foreign counterintelligence; organized crime/drugs; violent crimes and major offenders; and financial crime.

If a crime is committed that is a violation of local, state, and federal laws, does the FBI "take over" the investigation?
No. State and local law enforcement agencies are not subordinate to the FBI, and the FBI does not supervise or usurp their investigations. However, through cooperation, the investigative resources of the FBI and state and local agencies often are pooled in a common effort to investigate and solve the cases. In fact, many task forces composed of FBI Special Agents and state and local officers have been formed to locate fugitives and to address serious, recurring crime such as terrorism and street violence.

If an individual is being sought by local police for committing a crime, what assistance can the FBI render to locate the fugitive?
A "stop" will be placed against the fugitive's fingerprints in the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Local police will be notified immediately upon the receipt of any additional fingerprints of the fugitive. The fugitive's name and identifying data also will be entered into the National Crime Information Center, a computerized database that is accessible to law enforcement agencies nationwide. Any agency that subsequently inquires about this individual will be informed of his or her fugitive status. In addition, the FBI may obtain a federal arrest warrant and thereafter attempt to locate an individual who flees prosecution or confinement if there is reason to believe the person has traveled across a state line or left the country.

If a child is missing and possibly kidnapped, but no interstate transportation is known, will the FBI begin an investigation?
Yes. The FBI will initiate a kidnapping investigation involving a missing child "of tender years" even though there is no known interstate aspect. "Tender years" is generally defined as a child twelve years or younger. The FBI will monitor other kidnapping situations when there is no evidence of interstate travel, and it offers assistance from various entities including the FBI Laboratory.

What is the FBI's policy on the use of informants?
The courts have recognized that the government's use of informants is lawful and often essential to the effectiveness of properly authorized law enforcement investigations. However, use of informants to assist in the investigation of criminal activity may involve an element of deception, intrusion into the privacy of individuals, or cooperation with persons whose reliability and motivation may be open to question. Although it is legally permissible for the FBI to use informants in its investigations, special care is taken to carefully evaluate and closely supervise their use so the rights of individuals under investigation are not infringed. The FBI can only use informants consistent with specific guidelines issued by the Attorney General that control the use of informants.

Are informants regular employees of the FBI?
No. Informants are individuals who supply information to the FBI on a confidential basis. They are not hired or trained employees of the FBI, although they may receive compensation in some instances for their information and expenses.

If a citizen gives information about a potential crime to the FBI and there is a question as to whether a federal violation has occurred, who in the government decides?
The FBI may conduct an investigation in order to obtain sufficient facts concerning the allegation. If there is a question as to whether or not a federal violation has occurred, the FBI consults with the United States Attorney's office in the district where the alleged offense took place.

How many fugitives does the FBI look for at any one time?
Approximately 12,000. Through the Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution or Confinement statute, the FBI for many years has been responsible for seeking the country's most wanted, violent fugitives.

Can the FBI send "wanted posters" on fugitives to private citizens?
No. These items only are made available to law enforcement or other government agencies in furtherance of the investigations to locate the fugitives.

Since the FBI does not send out wanted posters to the public, is there any way I can see photographs and descriptions of current FBI fugitives?
As part of our Fugitive Publicity Program, the FBI places photographs and other information regarding fugitives on our Most Wanted web site. The FBI's "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" and other fugitives are included. Additionally, many United States Post Offices display 8" by 8" FBI "wanted posters," officially known as Identification Orders.

Should a citizen verify his or her suspicions about criminal activity before reporting them to the FBI?
Citizens should never place themselves in harm's way or conduct their own investigations. Instead, any suspicious activity about matters under FBI jurisdiction should be reported to the FBI promptly.

What steps are being taken by the FBI to reduce violent crime in America, particularly that committed by gangs?
The FBI is the principal federal agency with jurisdiction to address violent street gangs. It conducts investigations on these groups through its Safe Streets Initiative with other law enforcement partners. The FBI has also developed National Violent Crime, Drug, and Gang Strategies that together serve as the framework for combating violence in the United States.

Does the FBI keep statistics on criminal offenses committed in the United States?
Yes. The FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, which began in 1929, collects information on serious crimes reported to law enforcement agencies. The categories are homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The Program also collects information on hate crimes and on persons arrested for twenty-two other less serious crime categories. Hate crime offenses cover incidents motivated by race, religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity/national origin.

What is white-collar crime and how is the FBI combating it?
White-collar crime is non-violent in nature and includes health care fraud, corporate fraud, government fraud, and telemarketing fraud, to name a few. The FBI is actively pursuing a number of investigations to combat white-collar crime. A plan is in place to target check fraud and counterfeit negotiable instruments by organized groups. The FBI also is concentrating on mortgage loan fraud. There are also joint ventures including The White Collar Crime Center and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

How is the FBI fighting organized crime, particularly international organized crime?
The FBI uses a variety of laws, asset forfeiture statutes, and sophisticated investigative techniques in its domestic and international cases. The criminal and civil provisions of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute are a particularly suited to dismantle criminal organizations. These investigations frequently utilize undercover operations, court-authorized electronic surveillance, informants and cooperating witnesses, and consensual monitoring. Many of these are conducted with foreign and domestic police agencies. The FBI operates under an organized crime/drug strategy that focuses its investigations on major international, national, and regional groups that control large segments of the illegal activities.

What is the FBI doing about drug trafficking?
The FBI has determined that the most effective means of combating this crime is to use the Enterprise Theory of Investigation, which focuses investigations and prosecutions on entire criminal enterprises rather than on individuals. Through this process, all aspects of the criminal operation can be identified. The Theory supports not only the prosecution of the criminal enterprise, but also the seizure of the enterprise's assets and is intended to disrupt or dismantle entire criminal organizations.

Does the FBI investigate graft and corruption in local government and in state and local police departments?
Yes. The FBI uses applicable federal laws, including the Hobbs Act, to investigate violations by public officials in federal, state, and local governments. A public official is any person elected, appointed, employed, or otherwise has a duty to maintain honest and faithful public service. Most violations occur when the official asks, demands, solicits, accepts, receives, or agrees to receive something of value in return for influence in the performance of an official act. The categories of public corruption investigated by the FBI include legislative, judicial, regulatory, contractual, and law enforcement.

Does the FBI investigate computer-related crime?
Yes. The FBI is charged with investigating computer-related crimes involving both criminal acts and national security issues. Examples of criminal acts would be using a computer to commit fraud or using the Internet to transmit obscene material. In the national security area, the FBI investigates criminal matters involving the nation's computerized banking and financial systems; the various "911" emergency networks; and telecommunications systems. See FBI Cyber Investigations for more information.