“All kidnappings have the resources of the HRFC available,” said Matt Ploskunak, a special agent in the fusion cell. “That’s the whole-of-government approach to getting people back.”

Since the HRFC’s inception four years ago, more than 200 kidnapped American citizens have been recovered. And the Bureau continues to work to bring home kidnapping victims who are still being held hostage overseas.

When someone in the U.S. gets a ransom call from overseas and they reach out to law enforcement or a U.S. Embassy for help, it sets in motion a well-honed process. The nearest FBI field office, in coordination with Headquarters’ Criminal Investigative and International Operations divisions, sends special agents, hostage negotiators, and victim specialists to meet with the family that received the call. In some cases, specially trained negotiators from the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group are dispatched to assist on the case. Agents work with family members, offering guidance through the trying process.

Meanwhile, in the country where a hostage is being held, the FBI’s in-country liaisons, or legal attachés, work closely with the ambassador and the U.S. Embassy team to request assistance from the country’s local law enforcement. The FBI has more than 60 legal attaché offices—managed by the Bureau’s International Operations Division—providing coverage for more than 180 countries, territories and islands. The legal attaché coordinates the FBI’s piece of an overseas investigation run by local police. “Whatever they find in their investigation, the legal attaché is going to have access to that information,” Burkin said.

In rare kidnap-for-ransom cases, and at the request of host countries, the FBI has dispatched agents from designated field offices with extraterritorial responsibility to assist host-nation investigators.

Back in the U.S., while agents run their investigation, victim specialists from the FBI’s Victim Services Division are on scene to ensure the needs of the victim’s family are being met and considered throughout the ordeal. “The victim specialists are brought in to the front end so that they have that relationship established for any follow-on care that’s needed,” Burkin said.

A hostage’s release does not mean the end of a case. Often, the host country will pursue a criminal prosecution. A robust case—built on investigative work at each end of the kidnapper’s ransom call—may lead to an offender’s extradition to the U.S. for prosecution.