Criminal investigations by federal authorities can be rather complex. In many cases, federal investigators are not targeting one individual but rather a group of conspirators or a series of crimes when dealing with white collar crimes. Undercover tactics and in-depth investigation may lead the authorities to a completely different target than originally anticipated.
With the recent filing of federal wire fraud charge in Missouri, just such a case recently came into the public eye. An investigation began in 2010 when the U.S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives started a probe on a Missouri businessman. Although the connection is unclear from the reports, at some point during the investigation the focus shifted to another suspect who was located on the other side of the country.
