1. A method of verifying fingerprint images, comprising: receiving an inquiry fingerprint image of a user; identifying pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image; identifying minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image; determining a weighted combination of the pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image and the minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image, wherein the weighted combination comprises a pattern matching weight and a minutiae matching weight derived in accordance with a separation of a first empirical probability density function of genuine fingerprints from a second empirical probability density function of impostor fingerprints; and verifying the inquiry fingerprint image based on a set of fused scores computed using the weighted combination of the pattern characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image and the minutiae characteristics of the inquiry fingerprint image.