UNITED STATES MARSHALS SERVICE BRINGS HARKNESS BACK FROM DUBAI

Austin – On Easter Sunday Fatemeh Angela Harkness was arrested at JFK airport in New York. The United States Marshals Service had arranged for Harkness to fly back to the United States after the fugitive had contacted them stating she could no longer stand being stranded in Dubai. In May of 2005 Harkness was arrested by officials in Dubai who had worked with the United States Marshals liaison to INTERPOL and the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in their international quest to apprehend Harkness.

Harkness failed to appear for sentencing after her conviction for fraud and skipped out of the country. The Task Force investigation revealed that Harkness was seeking refuge in Europe or the Middle East. Since her May 2005 arrest, the United States Marshals Service had been working with the Dubai government in an attempt to get Harkness extradited back to the United States. After almost two years Harkness contacted officials with the United States Marshals Service and asked for their assistance in getting back to the United States so she could, “serve her time.” The United States Marshals Service arranged for Harkness to fly back to America and for family members to be available to take custody of her minor child.

Harkness, a former strip club dancer, and Gary Jones, a vice president of a Wells Fargo branch, conspired to embezzle more than $1 million between 2000 and 2003, to fund Angela’s Motorsports, a racing team that emerged on the NASCAR scene in 2002. They ran the business out of Harkness’ home in Round Rock, Texas. Jones pled guilty to fraud, theft, and embezzlement charges and is currently serving his sentence.

LaFayette Collins, Marshal for the Western District of Texas, stated, “Harkness found herself trapped with nowhere to run and finally came to the realization that the United States Marshals Service will never stop pursuing the guilty.”