19 Action News

19 Action News CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - The identity of a Most Wanted fugitive who stole millions of dollars will be revealed today. Bobby Thompson: Elusive fugitive pleads not guilty in court U.S. Marshals capture elusive fugitive Updated: Tuesday, May 8 2012 4:03 PM EDT2012-05-08 20:03:21 GMTMay 08, 2012 4:03 PM EDT May 08, 2012 4:03 PM EDT Late Monday night, the United States Marshals Service captured one of Americas Most Wanted and elusive fugitives who is accused of stealing millions of dollars that had been donated for the sole purposeMore >> A mystery man who got busted in Oregon then extradited back to Cleveland faced a judge Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to several charges including fraud, theft, and corruption.More >>U.S. Marshal Peter J. Elliott will have a press conference to announce that the fugitive known as "Bobby Thompson" has been positively identified. Thompson, 66, had been one of America's Most Wanted fugitives and the subject of a nationwide manhunt before being caught in Oregon last April. He's accused of scamming millions of dollars out of Ohioans -- money that had been donated for the sole purpose of aiding U.S. veterans. He was listed as one of America's Most Wanted and elusive fugitive. "Bobby Thompson," which was an alias, was on the run for over the last two years where he assumed numerous fictitious names and was known to alter his appearance. He was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, identity theft, fraud and money laundering. In the early 2000s, the subject, using the alias Bobby Thompson, founded the U.S. Navy Veterans Association (USNVA), a charitable organization whose stated mission was to provide assistance to veterans and members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The USNVA claimed to have a national headquarters in Washington D.C., but its base of operations was the Tampa, FL., area. From its inception to the summer of 2010, it is estimated the USNVA received close to $100 million dollars in nationwide donations. Officials in several states are investigating the USNVA and it is believed little, if any, of the money actually benefited veterans or current service members. In August 2010, "Thompson" was charged in Ohio with various offenses relating to this fraudulent activity. A co-conspirator is currently serving a five year prison sentence in Ohio for her role in this scam after pleading guilty in June 2011. "Thompson", the alleged mastermind of this plot, fled in June 2010, when he learned of the criminal investigation. "Thompson" was featured on America's Most Wanted on two separate occasions, with the most recent being March 2011. Copyright 2012 WOIO. All rights reserved.