Inside FBI most wanted fugitives mysterious phone call she made after vanishing abroad

The ex-husband of one of America’s most wanted fugitives — who is believed to be hiding out in Australia — has revealed she made a mysterious phone call to him while on the run.Vanessa O’Rourke, 37, has been evading US authorities for years, but unexpectedly rang Michael Gulinello, 42, asking for his help in 2020 despite years of no contact up until that point.“She somehow got a hold of me.She called and asked me if I could send her proof we got divorced because her mum can’t do it,” Mr.

Gulinello told news.com.au, noting he’d changed his number since he and O’Rourke split up.“I said no — she was already wanted.”Mr.Gulinello, of Massachusetts, and O’Rourke were married in 2009 and divorced in 2011 – before federal prosecutors accused her of faking terminal brain cancer to con friends, family and supporters out of more than $100,000 in donations, according to court documents.The FBI announced on May 23 that O’Rourke – who has been a fugitive in the US since she was indicted in 2018 for the “suspected “nauseating” scheme in which she allegedly used the donations to fund luxury travel and vacations in Australia – is now on their most wanted list.Authorities allege O’Rourke, formerly of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, falsely claimed she was suffering from glioblastoma, an aggressive and often fatal form of brain cancer, between 2015 and 2016.

Prosecutors say she raised money through GoFundMe campaigns and local fundraisers by claiming she needed lifesaving experimental treatment down under.According to Mr.Gulinello, O’Rourke told him during the out-of-the-blue call that she needed the paperwork because she wanted to return to the US.“As far as I know she’s never come back to the US,” he added, noting he did not report the call to officials.Authorities say O’Rourke, who was indicted on 15 counts of wire fraud, has used aliases including Vanessa Gulinello and Cecilia Vincent Gaeta Lazaro.When prosecutors unsealed O’Rou...