This week, on the five-year anniversary of his disappearance, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announces a reward of up to $1,000,000 for information leading directly to the safe location, recovery, and return of Robert A. Levinson.

Mr. Levinson, who will turn 64 on March 10, is a retired U.S. government employee who gave 28 years of service to the U.S. Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. On March 8, 2007, Mr. Levinson traveled to Kish Island, Iran as a private investigator and has not been publicly seen or heard from since his disappearance on March 9, 2007. The FBI is responsible for investigating crimes committed against U.S. citizens abroad and has been conducting an investigation to locate Mr. Levinson since 2007.

“On the fifth anniversary of Bob’s disappearance, the FBI continues to follow every lead into his abduction and captivity,” said James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “We are committed to bringing Bob home safely to his family. We hope that this reward will encourage anyone with information about Bob or his captors, no matter how insignificant it seems, to contact the FBI. The FBI is interested in any information from the time he disappeared on Kish Island, Iran to the present.”

A year ago, the U.S. secretary of state issued a statement that the United States government had received indications that Mr. Levinson was being held captive by a group in southwest Asia. This includes the border regions of Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. However, the captors themselves remain unidentified.

A publicity campaign is being launched this week in southwest Asia to heighten awareness of Levinson’s abduction, announce the $1,000,000 reward, and solicit information. Billboards, radio messages, and flyers will be utilized to publicize the reward and the investigation. A telephone tip line will be provided to listeners and viewers in that region so that they can confidentially provide information.

The FBI has posted reward information and pictures of Mr. Levinson on the Kidnappings & Missing Persons page of the FBI.gov website. We encourage anyone with information regarding Robert Levinson or his captors to contact the FBI at https://tips.fbi.gov. Information will be confidential and can be shared anonymously.

Source: FBI