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Fugitive Of 23 Years Might Have Been Spotted At Baseball Game

Fugitive Of 23 Years Might Have Been Spotted At Baseball Game

The last confirmed sighting of John Ruffo was in 1998, but he may have attended a 2016 baseball game in Los Angeles.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

U.S investigators are asking the public to help out with identifying a man who they claim looks an awful lot like a fugitive who has been on the run for 23 years.

That's a long time to evade capture, particularly if you're involved in a massive and well-publicised fraud scheme, but John Ruffo has now been on the run longer than the prison time he was sentenced to.

Ruffo was convicted in the 1990s for his involvement in a $350 million bank fraud scheme, and he was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison.

However, after he was released on bond he never turned up to prison to do his sentence.

That, of course, shouldn't have been an option, and Ruffo hasn't been seen since.

As well as that, they never managed to get back $13 million of the money that was defrauded.

John Ruffo aged up to what he might look like today.
US Marshals

Then, in August 2016, a man who resembled Ruffo - who would now be 66-years-old - turned up at a baseball match between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox.

In a news release, the US Marshals said that the man was seated near home plate and wearing a blue shirt.

Before this potential sighting, he hadn't been seen since 1998, when a confirmed sighting put him at an ATM in New York.

Investigators have even managed to pinpoint the exact seat that Ruffo - or his lookalike - was sat it, Section One Dugout Club, Row EE, Seat 10.

On top of that, they found the person who bought the tickets but still, they're no closer to knowing exactly what happened and where Ruffo is.

Now, he's been featured on the ABC News podcast Have You Seen This Man?

Ruffo was last seen at an ATM in 1998.
US Marshals

The police also believe that Ruffo - if it was him - will be using an alias.

The Marshals' news release from a few years back reads: "He is known to be computer savvy and enjoys fine wines, gambling, and nice hotels,

"He is reportedly lactose-intolerant. Ruffo was known to be a storyteller, someone who liked to stretch the truth and had a desire to impress others. He has been called a master manipulator."

Ruffo is also known to have had several connections overseas, having shown an interest in Italy and travelled to Aruba.

That's why they've translated the wanted posters for him into seven languages, hoping to cast the net as wide as possible.

Spotted this fella anywhere?
US Marshals

A reward of $25,000 has been offered to anyone who provides information that leads to his arrest.

If you know anything about the case, you can get in touch with the Marshals Service on their app or website, or submit your tip to them on 877-WANTED2.

Featured Image Credit: US Marshals

Topics: Police, Money, Interesting, US News, crime, Weird