Millionaire businessman’s elaborate jailbreak plan foiled, Florida authorities say
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Authorities say they’ve foiled a 78-year-old multimillionaire businessman’s elaborate plan to escape a Florida jail and fly to France to avoid facing child pornography charges.
A tip from outside the jail sparked a two-month investigation of John Manchec and people he had enlisted in his escape plan, Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said at a news conference Monday.
“Essentially, the plan comes down to this,” Flowers said. “These folks that are on the outside are going to wait until Manchec has a doctor’s visit, and they are going to take out our corrections staff while he’s out at the medical facility.”
The plan called for Manchec’s employees to pepper-spray prison guards and take him to his private plane in nearby Fort Pierce so that he could fly to France, Flowers said.
Manchec has dual U.S. and French citizenship, Flowers said.
Manchec was arrested in 2014 and charged with 49 counts of child pornography. Flowers said he left the U.S. to avoid prosecution after posting a nearly $500,000 bond and moved to his medieval estate in southern France, the Chateau Pechrigal.
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France denied U.S. extradition requests, but he was eventually arrested in the Dominican Republic in 2020 and sent to Florida, according to the sheriff.
Manchec requested permission to leave jail in January, saying he suffered from chronic medical conditions, and because he broke his hip and wrist late last year, the sheriff said. The request was denied.
The escape plot centered on an April 12 medical appointment, Flowers said. But at least one of the people involved tipped off law enforcement, allowing investigators to unravel the plot.
An examination of Manchec’s jail phone records discovered he used the code words “paint job” while talking to his employees about the plot.
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They were to prepare his plane, his 140-foot yacht, a black utility van and other vehicles purchased expressly for the escape attempt, Flowers said. Manchec even paid the bail for a cellmate and then allowed the person to live in his home. That person helped prepare the escape, including packing a suitcase with Manchec’s favorite liquor, the sheriff said.
Flowers said Manchec’s plan was to go “back to his castle in France” and never have to face the charges.
Manchec remains in the Indian River County Jail, with additional charges related to the escape plan. Two inmates and two employees were also arrested and charged with conspiracy in the escape plot.
Manchec was originally arrested in December 2014, following a child pornography investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
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