US ‘most wanted’ fugitive captured by Italian police in Rome

Moises Tejada, 54, was picked up in St Peter’s Square near the Vatican last week, and found to be carrying three concealed knives

Moises Tejada, who was on the OSI New York’s ‘most wanted’ list, was captured by police in Rome last week (Office of Special Investigations New York)

One of the US’s most wanted fugitives was captured in Rome last week by Italian police, who reportedly found him carrying three concealed knives through a popular and busy tourist area.

Moises Tejada, 54, was picked up in St Peter’s Square near the Vatican on Wednesday 10 April after attracting the attention of law enforcement.

Pope Francis was holding a general audience the same day, resulting in crowds of tourists and pilgrims being present. Mr Tejada was found in possession of three knives that were 20cm long.

It is not known if he posed any threat to the pope.

According to the Office of Special Investigations New York most wanted list, Tejada has convictions for robbery and kidnapping and is classified as “violent”. The OSI website states that all those on its list should be considered “armed and dangerous” and advises members of the public not to approach them.

Tejada is described as six feet tall, with no tattoos, but with scars on his right hand and face. His arrest was first reported by Italy’s la Repubblica newspaper and later by Reuters.

The Italian outlet reported that the officers apprehended him without being aware of his identity, but used their “intuition” to stop and search the wanted man.

In the US, Tejada was previously charged with armed robbery after allegedly posing as a potential customer of a real estate agent in Suffolk County, New York. While taking a tour of a property Tejada is said to have handcuffed the realtor to a pole and robbed him of personal property including his car.

Court documents from 2004, showed that he had been linked to another “near identical” crime in Brooklyn.

Investigators found that he had recently arrived in Rome from Moldova, having previously spent time in Ukraine. Mr Tejada told them he had been in Ukraine since 2022 fighting against the Russian invasion. He had reportedly arrived in Italy 10 days prior.

The Italian authorities are waiting to hear if their US counterparts want to extradite him, according to Reuters.