Fugitive Recovery School Owners Arrested for Badges

Ralph Rios and Robert Neves, owners of a bounty hunter training school called US Recovery Bureau, were arrested by federal authorities for distributing badges and credentials that… “give the impression that they were issued by actual government law enforcement agencies because, among other reasons, (a) the badge is in the same shape as a New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) Detective badge; (b) the badge bears a seal with a bald eagle that is a facsimile of the great seal of the United States; (c) the badge reads “U.S. Recovery Bureau” and under the seal is the word “Agent” and a badge serial number; (d)the badge is in a leather wallet that also holds credentials that are the same shape and size as federal law enforcement credentials and identify the graduate as a “Special Agent” of the “U.S. Recovery Bureau”; (e) the credentials bear an emblem in the center of the card that is a facsimile of the great seal of the United States; and (f) the credentials lack any clear indication that they are not issued by a governmental organization.”

According to the US Department of Justice’s press release, law enforcement authorities have arrested multiple graduates of U.S. Recovery Bureau for using the credentials issued by the school. On some occasions, students have used their school-issued credentials to try to avoid tickets and other law enforcement actions. In other cases, students have used the credentials to try to access secure government buildings. In at least one case, students have used the school-issued credentials to impersonate law enforcement officers in order to effectuate robberies. Of approximately 943 students who received credentials from U.S. Recovery Bureau, at least 78 were convicted felons at the time they took the U.S. Recovery Bureau course.

Nieves is out on a $50,000 bond and Rios is out on a $25,000 bond.