Instead of reporting to federal prison last June for bilking millions from his investors, Samuel Israel faked his suicide and took off in an RV for nearly a month before surrendering.

The 49-year-old Israel has spent months getting a physical and psychological checkup at a prison hospital in Ayer, Mass. A federal judge ordered the evaluation to help him decide whether Israel is competent to plead guilty to going on the lam before a court date set for Friday.

The judge refused to accept the plea last year when Israel told him that treatment for his addiction to painkillers had impaired his thinking.