A Jamaican woman who became one of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters has been captured in Jamaica and returned to the United States, where she will face federal charges connected to an alleged scheme that sought to fraudulently obtain more than US$32 million in COVID-19 relief funds.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, was returned to South Florida on Saturday after Jamaican authorities apprehended her following information developed by U.S. investigators. Her capture brings an end to a months-long effort to locate her after she allegedly fled the United States while facing federal charges.
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Escoe was indicted in 2025 on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud and money laundering. A federal arrest warrant was issued in May 2025, but authorities say she failed to appear for a scheduled court proceeding and subsequently fled to Jamaica.
According to U.S. prosecutors, Escoe and five co-conspirators allegedly submitted or caused the submission of more than 90 fraudulent applications seeking pandemic assistance through several federal programmes, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG).
Investigators allege that the applications contained false information about businesses, including their existence, payroll, revenue and operations, in order to qualify for or maximize government assistance. Prosecutors further allege that the group manufactured fake tax documents, bank records and other financial paperwork to support the applications.
In some cases, according to court records, applications were allegedly submitted for businesses controlled by members of the group, while other applications were filed for third parties in exchange for substantial kickbacks. Authorities say those payments sometimes reached 50 percent of the loan proceeds, after which the money was allegedly moved between members of the conspiracy to conceal its origins.
The case has already resulted in convictions and guilty pleas involving Escoe’s alleged co-conspirators. Following a federal trial in December 2025, Alfred Davis, Cher Davis and Latoya Clark were convicted, while James McGhow and Gino Jourdan previously pleaded guilty. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Davis was sentenced to 235 months in prison, while the other defendants received sentences ranging from 42 to 87 months. Escoe is now the final defendant charged in the scheme who had remained at large.
Her arrest in Jamaica followed a coordinated effort involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the JCF Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team. Authorities said information provided through a tip helped lead investigators to Escoe.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Escoe had allegedly been living under the false identity “Harley Newman” while evading U.S. authorities. He described her capture as the latest success in an intensified FBI campaign targeting individuals accused of stealing from pandemic relief programmes.
U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche also stressed that authorities would continue pursuing suspects regardless of where they attempt to hide, arguing that pandemic relief programmes were established to assist legitimate businesses and workers during an unprecedented national crisis.
The case is particularly notable because the alleged fraud targeted programmes created during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep businesses operating, preserve jobs and provide emergency assistance during a period of extraordinary economic disruption.
Escoe’s return to the United States does not constitute a finding of guilt. She will now face the federal charges in court, where prosecutors must prove the allegations against her beyond a reasonable doubt.
Her extradition also underscores the growing cooperation between Jamaican and U.S. authorities in pursuing fugitives wanted for serious financial crimes. After reportedly attempting to evade U.S. justice by returning to Jamaica, Escoe now faces the legal process she had previously avoided.
For U.S. authorities, however, her capture represents another major step in recovering accountability for pandemic-era financial fraud, and a warning that international borders may provide little protection for fugitives attempting to escape prosecution.
