Arizona man who faked his own cartel kidnapping to make up for gambling losses is at large

A Prescott man was found guilty last week of faking his own kidnapping, but he fled during the trial and remains at large, authorities said.

Mark Michael Ellis, 33, sent his employer multiple texts about the fake kidnapping, saying he needed over $17,000 wired to his account or he would be killed by a Mexican drug cartel, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office announced Monday.

Ellis even made a FaceTime video call to his employer from a “basement,” claiming he was being held prisoner and begging for the payment to be sent so the cartel wouldn’t kill him, prosecutors said.

How did authorities find out the cartel kidnapping was fake?

The employer called the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office, and after authorities became involved, Ellis admitted to his employer that he had lost over $15,000 gambling and made up the cartel kidnapping to get money, prosecutors said.

Detectives found him at home with his girlfriend, who was unaware of the kidnapping scheme. Ellis told the investigators he’d pretended to be kidnapped to get money to make up for his online gambling losses.

During the investigation, detectives found the “basement” where Ellis had filmed the FaceTime call was actually his garage. They also found heroin-related drug paraphernalia.

Ellis admitted to using methamphetamine while texting his employer, prosecutors said.

Ellis fled midway through his trial, but a jury found him guilty of attempted fraud schemes, attempted theft and possession of drug paraphernalia Thursday.

A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and a sentencing date will be set after he is apprehended.

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