Despite Internet Rumors, McDonald's Tipster Could Claim Reward After Calling 911 on Luigi Mangione

Authorities offered $60,000 reward for information leading to the suspect's capture

Following Luigi Mangione's arrest in an Altoona, Pa., McDonald's this week, rumors have swirled across the internet that the employee who called 911 wouldn't receive the potential $60,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

But police say the employee is indeed eligible for the reward — but it could take some time.

To claim the FBI's $50,000 reward, a federal agency must nominate a tipster to an interagency board, which can present a recommendation for the U.S. Secretary of State to then sign off on, according to The Washington Post.

Meanwhile, the $10,000 reward from the NYPD's Crime Stoppers will require a conviction before it can be disbursed, as the bounty was upped from the usual $3,500 to $10,000 by the New York City Police Foundation, the Associated Press reports.

Related: Luigi Mangione Was 'Cagey' When He Tried to Get Room at Altoona, Pa., Hotel: Clerk

Both rewards will also be taxed, so the full amounts won't manifest in the tipster's bank account. And the Crime Stoppers reward could be divided among dozens of tips that the police say were helpful in the investigation

Speculation had abounded earlier this week that the McDonald's employee who called the police on Mangione would not get the reward, because the person phoned 911 instead of the Crime Stoppers tip line. The Police Foundation, however, confirmed to The Washington Post that the McDonald's tipster is still eligible for the reward.

Mangione is the prime suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan last week.

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He was apprehended at the McDonald's on Monday, Dec. 9, after a five-day manhunt when an eagle-eyed customer believed they spotted the suspect inside the restaurant. The customer alerted a McDonald's staff member who then called 911. (Still photos from surveillance footage has since been released showing Mangione in the restaurant.)

Related: Luigi Mangione's Lawyer Told Him in Court: 'Don't Say a Word' After Outburst Outside Building

Police said that Mangione started to shake when they questioned him, particularly on whether he'd been in New York City recently. Police allege they would ultimately discover on him a ghost gun, suppressor, fake IDs and a manifesto describing people in the health insurance industry as "parasites."

Mangione is charged with second-degree murder in New York. He is currently being held without bail in Pennsylvania, where he faces weapons and forgery charges; he is fighting attempts by Manhattan prosecutors to extradite him to New York.