Please Retweet: Fugitive Caught After FBI Outs Him on Facebook, Twitter

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For the first time in Hawaii, the FBI has used social media to help nab a fugitive.

On Jan. 14, the FBI posted a link on its Facebook page saying it was trying to locate Peter Heckmann, who was wanted on seven counts of wire fraud in Hawaii.

The FBI also tweeted out to their more than 540,000 followers that they were searching for the “international music industry professional,” who at one point had fled to Bali, Indonesia.

The FBI’s Facebook post received 452 “Likes,” 70 comments, and 210 “Shares.” On Twitter, the message was retweeted 92 times.

Apparently it worked. This morning the FBI announced Heckmann, 63, surrendered without incident at the Honolulu International Airport.

According to a press release, the FBI had emailed Heckmann shortly after its “intensive publicity roll-out” telling him to turn himself in.

He now faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud

—Nick Grube

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