The Incredible Life Story of George Edward Wright: The Fugitive Who Evaded U.S. Authorities for 40 Years

George Edward Wright’s story reads like something out of a crime thriller, yet every bit of it is true.

Wright, an American who committed an armed robbery at just 19 years old in New Jersey, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after someone was killed during the incident. He served only about eight years before staging a daring escape with a group of inmates, disappearing so completely that investigators had nothing to work with. For years, he remained a ghost.

Two years after his escape, Wright resurfaced — this time connected to a group linked to the Black Liberation Army. In a shocking twist, they hijacked a Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Miami, issuing a list of unusual demands.

Among them were:

• A $1 million ransom
• An FBI agent delivering the money dressed only in a swimsuit, to ensure he wasn’t armed

They got exactly what they asked for, then diverted the flight to Algeria, where they sought political asylum. After that episode, Wright vanished once again.

He reinvented himself entirely: changed his identity, moved through different countries, and eventually settled in Portugal. There, he lived a quiet, almost ordinary life — got married, raised children, and blended into the community so well that his past remained hidden for decades.

Remarkably, Wright managed to stay off the radar for about 40 years.

Everything changed in 2011 when U.S. authorities finally tracked him down in Portugal. They requested his extradition so he could face long-standing consequences back home. But Portugal refused. After reviewing his case, his life abroad, and his status as a Portuguese citizen, authorities decided he would not be returned to the United States.

Wright was allowed to remain in Portugal, effectively closing one of the longest and most extraordinary fugitive hunts in U.S. history.

Why His Story Still Fascinates the World

• He escaped prison after a serious conviction.
• He was part of a major international hijacking.
• He lived under the radar for four decades.
• And even when found, he wasn’t extradited.

It’s the kind of story that continues to spark conversations — a rare mix of crime, politics, mystery, and survival that still intrigues people across the world.