An alleged fraud suspect now listed among America’s most wanted is said to have made a last-ditch appeal for assistance while evading authorities, after being accused of taking in a staggering sum through deception.
FBI Director Kash Patel has recently emphasized that the bureau’s most-wanted efforts are being used not only to track violent offenders, but also to spotlight alleged financial criminals. That approach has put renewed attention on Vanessa O’Rourke and the long-running case against her.
O’Rourke, now 37, has allegedly spent years avoiding capture after investigators say she exploited the goodwill of relatives, friends and supporters. She is accused of telling people she needed urgent cancer treatment overseas, while actually using the money to support an extravagant lifestyle in Australia.
On June 4, 2026, the FBI said O’Rourke had been added to its newly launched Most Wanted Fraudsters list after allegedly leaving the US following her 2018 indictment.
Federal authorities say the Pennsylvania woman falsely claimed to have glioblastoma during 2015 and 2016.
Prosecutors allege she collected more than $100,000 through GoFundMe pages and community fundraising efforts, then spent the donations on trips and luxury purchases instead of medical care.
Even so, she is said to have later reached out to someone from an earlier chapter of her life for help.
That person was her former husband, Michael Gulinello.
Gulinello, now 42, said she contacted him in 2020 despite the pair having divorced back in 2011.
“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,” Gulinello told news.com.au, even though he said he had changed his number. “I said no — she was already wanted.”
According to Gulinello, she wanted the divorce documents because she was allegedly considering a return to the United States, despite already being the subject of a warrant. Prosecutors have said she had been living in Queensland.
“As far as I know she’s never come back to the US,” he added.
The FBI says O’Rourke faces 15 wire fraud counts and allegedly used multiple names in carrying out the scheme. Investigators say those aliases included Vanessa Gulinello and Cecilia Vincent Gaeta Lazaro.
“The allegations in this case are nauseating. O’Rourke is charged with preying upon the kindness and generosity of good people who wished to help those in need. As alleged, there was no need here – only lies, greed and callous manipulation,” US Attorney William McSwain said in a statement at the height of her notoriety.
Gulinello has also claimed that dishonesty was an issue long before the fraud allegations became public.
“She was really smart, good personality and stuff but over the years lots of lies came out,” he said.
He also described one incident involving money paid toward their wedding plans.
Gulinello continued: “We were supposed to get married at some hall and had to put a $2,500 deposit down, then she said she found out we couldn’t get married there and told me they said they could only give $1,200 back despite being fully refundable.”
“About a month later her mom got a car. I feel like that money was given to her mom,” he added, claiming that he even took out ‘student loans to help out her college’ and got into debt as she ‘never paid a penny back’.
He further alleged that she later told him she had a pituitary gland tumour and began speaking about Australia as a possible place for treatment, though he said he never saw proof of the diagnosis.
“I didn’t not believe her, but her not having proof made me feel [suspicious]. That’s when we had irreconcilable differences. I have paperwork for everything with cystic fibrosis so I know how that all works – it wasn’t adding up that she had nothing to show for it,” Gulinello said.
In 2017, Queensland Police arrested O’Rourke after receiving intelligence from US officials, and she later pleaded guilty to fraud and forgery offences.
A year later, she was held again after her partner visa application was denied. She was later released after being assessed as posing a low risk to the community.