No, a McDonald’s employee isn’t getting a $500,000 reward for tip on UnitedHealthcare CEO’s shooter

Days after a shooter killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Midtown Manhattan hotel, police arrested a suspect at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s following an employee tip. Now, some social media users claim the employee is in for a big reward.

A Dec. 9 Threads post read, "Apparently a $7.20 an hour McDonalds employee saved the NYPD. The employee of McDonalds now gets a cool 1/2 million dollar reward!"

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(Screenshot from Threads)

Although law enforcement authorities offered financial incentives for help identifying and locating the suspect, the rewards didn’t total $500,000.

The New York Police Department offered up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who shot and killed Thompson. The FBI also added the suspect to its Most Wanted list and offered an additional reward of up to $50,000.

On Dec. 9, police arrested Luigi Mangione, 26, after receiving a tip that he was eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Mangione faces murder and gun charges.

But authorities aren’t handing out money just yet. Until the suspect is convicted, no one can claim the up-to-$60,000 reward.

The New York Police Department’s Crime Stoppers program encourages people to submit information about violent crimes by calling a hotline or submitting an online form. If those tips lead to a perpetrator’s arrest and conviction, tipsters can receive a monetary reward, the website says.

After submitting a tip, the New York Police Department provides people with a reference number that they can use to follow up on the case at least one week after providing the information, the Crime Stoppers website says.

Claiming monetary rewards from the FBI can be more involved. For example, tipsters to the Rewards for Justice program, which gathers information about U.S. national security and international terrorism threats, must undergo a nomination and review process.

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stated on December 9, 2024 in social media posts

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People cannot nominate themselves; an investigating agency, such as the FBI or the Defense Department, must nominate a person for a reward, the program’s website says. Then, an interagency committee reviews the nomination before sending it to the secretary of state, who has the final say on whether to approve a reward.

It’s unclear whether the FBI will use the same process for people looking to cash in on tips related to Thompson’s killing. PolitiFact contacted the FBI for more information, but received no response before publication.

A Threads post claimed, "A $7.20 an hour McDonalds employee … now gets a cool 1/2 million dollar reward" for helping police find the suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter.

But this reward for tipsters won’t be as large, or immediate, as the social media post claimed.

Law enforcement authorities offered up to $60,000 in rewards for information about the shooting suspect. Although police arrested a suspect, Luigi Mangione, who faces murder and gun charges, no one can cash in on the rewards until there’s a conviction.

Tipsters must take additional steps to follow up with the New York Police Department and the FBI to determine whether they qualify for a reward.

We rate this claim False.