Florida Millionaire's Elaborate Escape Plot to Flee to French Castle Foiled

John Manchec, a 78-year-old multimillionaire facing child pornography charges, orchestrated an elaborate escape plan from a Florida jail to flee to his castle in France.
The plan involved Manchec's employees and inmates pepper-spraying guards during a fake doctor's appointment and helping him escape to a private plane.
Manchec had previously fled to France to avoid charges, but was arrested in another country and extradited back to the U.S.
The plot was uncovered after a tip allowed investigators to foil the plan, and Manchec and four co-conspirators now face additional charges related to the escape attempt.
Manchec was originally arrested in 2014 and extradited to the U.S. in 2020 to face 49 counts of child pornography possession.