Feds expected to increase anthrax case reward

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI and U.S. Postal Service are expected to announce on Wednesday that they're increasing to $2.5 million the reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever mailed anthrax-laced letters last fall, according to a government official.

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The increase in the reward, which is now $1.25 million, is expected to be announced at a news conference in Trenton, New Jersey, where some of the letters were postmarked.

Authorities say they hope that by increasing the reward they can generate new leads in the anthrax investigation that has so far failed to find the person behind the letters. Five people died from inhaling anthrax spores in Florida, the Washington area, New York, and Connecticut.

Authorities also plan to release more information concerning the profile of a person who may have sent the letters.