Wanted For Theft and Fraud

AZ - On paper, John Donald Cody seemed to have it all: a degree from Harvard Law and another from the University of Virginia, a background in military intelligence, and his own law firm in Sierra Vista, Ariz.

But paper rarely tells the whole story. Cody is also a fugitive, accused of bilking his clients out of $100,000 before vanishing in his Corvette in 1985, when he was 36.

By then, Cody was thought not only to be a thief and a fraud, but also a complete oddball -- infamous for his wild accusations, his haphazard appearance and most of all, his bizarre addictions.

After he was reportedly threatened with a contempt citation for making false statements to a judge, he began missing court appearances.

Federal investigators discovered Cody was allegedly skimming money from his clients' probate funds by writing travelers' checks against the accounts, which he transported from Arizona to Virginia. Cody also allegedly made false statements to a bank and brokerage firm to try and get a $25,000 loan.

When authorities clued into Cody's scam, he went on the lam, closing his law office and emptying $100,000 from client accounts, officials say.

In August 2004, the FBI issued a "Wanted" poster. But Cody has eluded authorities nonetheless. Cody is 61-years old now. He is 5-foot-10, an estimated 150 pounds, and he has a scar on his shoulder and a missing fingertip.

FBI investigators say he has used a host of aliases, including Richard Barstow, John Acosta Devine, Richard Larsen, John J. Ocean III, John Redfern, Dennis Reinhart and Harry Walter Phillips.

Anyone with information concerning Cody should contact their local FBI office or the nearest American embassy or consulate. The bureau is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest.

This is an ongoing series by FOXNews.com that looks at some of the most wanted criminals in the United States.

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Wanted: John Donald Cody for Theft, Fraud