The FBI and Terra Lycos are teaming up in an effort to capture one of the U.S.’s most wanted fugitives. In what the FBI calls a “groundbreaking technological initiative in law enforcement,” Lycos will feature information and a likeness of James “Whitey” Bulgar in banner ads across its global network. Previously, the government’s Ten Most Wanted list only appeared on the FBI site.
The FBI is not paying for the banners, and Lycos officials said they were offering the space as a public service. The company is based in Madrid with U.S. headquarters in Waltham, Mass.
Bulgar, a major Boston mob figure, is wanted on 18 counts of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit extortion, narcotics distribution, conspiracy to commit money laundering; extortion and money laundering. The FBI is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Bulgar.
On the FBI’s Most Wanted list since 1999, Bulger is known to have traveled extensively through Europe, Canada and Mexico. Bulgar’s virtual most wanted poster will be distributed in Spanish on Terra.com , which draws heavy Internet traffic from Latin America. Users who click on the Bulgar banner will be directed to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted web site where they can learn how to leave tips for the FBI.
An FBI spokesperson said the joint effort with Lycos was an experiment that could lead to others on the Most Wanted list being posted throughout the Web.
The Bulger Fugitive Task Force is comprised of representatives and investigators from the FBI, Massachusetts State Police, DEA, Boston Police Department, the Massachusetts Department of Correction and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Bulger has been a fugitive since 1995.