F.B.L seeks extradition of Harris

Press, 27 May 1989, Page 10

F.B.L seeks extradition of Harris

PA Auckland The Federal Bureau of Investigation has begun proceedings to have the mystery American, Milton Harris, who apparently faked his own death in 1985, extradited to the United States to face charges of mail fraud. District Attorney Ray Lamonica, of Baton Rouge, said the charges would relate to “the obtaining of money through a fraudulent scheme which was furthered by the use of the U.S. mail.” He refused to say whether his office would also bring charges against Harris’s

wife Sheila and their two children, who have already received $U5750,000 in life insurance pay-outs. The Baton Rouge Federal District Court is expected to issue a provisional arrest warrant for Milton Windsor Harris — the first step in an extradition process which could take two years if the defendant opposes being returned to Louisiana.

Mr Lamonica refused to say whether investigators would charge others in the United States in connection with the fraud.

The police in New Zealand are be- ] lieved to be trying to trace the man who : initially told the crew of the Cook Strait ; ferry Arahura that he saw Milton Harris tumble from the top deck on May 24, ( 1985, to determine if he played any part j in the fraud. . Meanwhile, inquiries continue into who wrote two letters sent last year from > the South Island to Judge Parker in Louisiana. After the authenticity of the letters < and the identity of the writer was i questioned in the Louisiana courtroom, a ;

private detective working in Nelson, on Lloyd’s behalf, sent what was described as a suspicious-looking package. That agent, a former policeman, Graham Stebbings, had a Labour Department explosives expert blow off the package wrapping at his Nelson home. Inside was the typewriter on which the letters were allegedly written. The machine, slightly damaged by the explosion, has been sent to Louisiana where it is now before Judge Parker as an exhibit. U