THE brother of a Glasgow pensioner who is wanted by the FBI has told of his shock at seeing his sibling's mugshot.

We revealed last week that Scot James Alexander Ward is wanted by the law authority for his alleged involvement in a precious metals fraud scheme that operated in Florida from September of 2007 to March of 2010.

Now his brother Michael, 62, has said the fraud suspect ignored his family after leaving home as a teenager and when the FBI published his photo, he recognised him straight away.

He told the Scottish Sun: "“It was strange to see his face in the news.

“I hadn’t seen him for a long time but knew it was him — I could see my dad in him.”

In an appeal, the FBI state that Ward, 65, allegedly operated an entity called Kastle & Hawk, Inc., which solicited investors to buy precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum on a leveraged basis. Instead of investing the approximately $400,000 Ward recieved from at least 12 investors, he allegedly used the money for his own personal use and benefit. No precious metals were ever acquired for investors.

A federal arrest warrant was issued for Ward in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, Miami, Florida, on September 6, 2012, after he was charged with wire fraud.

The FBI also warned that Ward, originally of Bridgeton, may have travelled to Scotland or elsewhere in the UK. He also could be in Canada or Mexico.

Michael, from Clarkston, said: “James was always a loner who did his own thing.

“If the FBI can’t find him neither could I. Do you think he’s sitting in my living room?

“He moved to London when he was 16 or 17 and worked in stock and shares. I heard from people a while ago that he’d emigrated to Canada.”

Michael explained that when his brother James left home, it devastated their mum Margaret who took her pain to the grave when she died in 2007 aged 81.

Michael said: "“My mother took it badly and it was hard for my parents — James won’t even know that they are dead.”