Arizona fugitive captured after faking cartel kidnapping, fleeing during trial

An Arizona fugitive who faked his own cartel kidnapping to cover gambling losses has been arrested, authorities announced Wednesday.

Mark Ellis, 33, was taken into custody Tuesday night after Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Prescott Police Department officers found him hiding in the back of a vehicle in Prescott.

YCSO said Ellis fled midway through his trial on charges of fraud and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The charges stem from an elaborate fraud scheme in early 2025. Prosecutors said Ellis sent alarming text messages to his employer, claiming the Sinaloa cartel had kidnapped him and would kill him unless his boss paid a $17,000 ransom.

Ellis also made a FaceTime call to his employer from what he described as a basement, pleading for the money and claiming the cartel was holding him prisoner, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.

His employer contacted YCSO, and detectives eventually found Ellis at home with his girlfriend, who authorities said was unaware of the scheme.

Investigators said Ellis confessed he had staged the kidnapping to recover his online gambling losses.

According to prosecutors, the “basement” where Ellis had filmed the FaceTime call was actually his garage.

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