STRATEGIC PARTNERS
January 6, 2002
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- After searching a white Ford Econoline van that belonged to theft suspect Michael Schwartz hoping to find 250,000 missing $20 bills, the FBI isn't saying what it found.
Not even Humboldt Bank, the Eureka, Calif. financial institution that reported the money missing, has received any word from the FBI, according to a Jan. 5 report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
"We're patiently waiting to hear something," Pat Rusnak, chief financial officer for Humboldt Bankcorp., told the newspaper. "It's a little frustrating it's taking so long."
In early December, Humboldt officials reported the money stolen after discovering that the family of Schwartz, 36, of New Jersey, had reported him missing.
Schwartz, owner of Direct Connect ATM and Schwartz Armored LLC, had a contract to stock 138 ATMs in New York and New Jersey with vault cash provided by Humboldt.
Schwartz had moved to Palm Beach County and -- using an alias -- paid David LaCroix to rent a room at a West Palm Beach apartment complex. It was there that LaCroix found Schwartz -- whom he knew as Jeff Alexander -- dead on Christmas Day. Local police learned of his real name from an address on his golf bag and through a fingerprint check.
Authorities believe that Schwartz, found surrounded by beer cans, a wine bottle and cigarette rolling papers, choked on his own vomit. Results of the toxicology tests performed as part of the autopsy are not expected for weeks.
The day after Schwartz was found dead, LaCroix alerted police that the white van they had been seeking was parked in a carport space Schwartz had rented.
The van was moved to a police impound lot, where it remained while FBI agents obtained a search warrant. Hoping it would offer either the cash or clues as to where the money went, the FBI searched the van on Jan. 4.
FBI Special Agent Bill Evanina said the evidence, if any, would not be discussed publicly while the investigation is ongoing.
