CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Matthews man charged with trying to hire a hitman via the internet to murder a Charlotte area resident was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday.
The FBI Charlotte Division arrested Bryant Riyanto Budi on June 1. Budi is charged with attempted possession of radioactive material with intent to cause death and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire.
At an appearance in federal court earlier this month, prosecutors told a judge Budi is a flight risk because was born in Indonesia and still has connections overseas. He was ordered held without bond.
According to allegations filed in a criminal complaint, Budi contacted an undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent via the internet to conduct a murder-for-hire. The complaint alleges Budi used encrypted messages and various usernames to disguise his identity.
Throughout communications between Budi and the undercover agent, Budi hired the agent to murder the unnamed individual.
The complaint also alleges Budi contacted an FBI undercover agent via the internet to purchase a lethal dose of a radioactive substance. Budi expressed interest to the agent in using the substance to kill an unnamed individual.
The agent informed Budi a package containing the radioactive substance was shipped on May 22, according to the complaint.
The package arrived May 31 to the address in Charlotte as instructed by Budi.
Budi was arrested after it got there.