Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says
Jamaican authorities arrested Escoe after FBI-developed information, and prosecutors say the scheme led to $32 million in wrongful relief payments.
- On Saturday, Jamaican authorities arrested Elaine Angene Escoe and returned her to South Florida to face federal wire-fraud and money-laundering charges stemming from a $32 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
- Between May 2020 and November 2021, Escoe and associates submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant funds.
- The scheme wrongfully disbursed approximately $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds. The FBI named Escoe to its "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list in June, offering up to $150,000 for information leading to her arrest.
- Escoe had been a fugitive since failing to appear for a scheduled court date on June 5, 2025. Following a 2025 trial, co-defendants Alfred Davis, Cher Davis, and Latoya Clark were convicted, with sentences reaching 235 months.
- As the final defendant charged in the scheme, Escoe's return closes the chapter on a sprawling criminal enterprise. James McGhow and Gino Jourdan previously pleaded guilty, leaving prosecutors to now litigate the case against her in federal court.
13 Articles
13 Articles
South Florida woman on FBI Most Wanted list captured after fleeing to Jamaica - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
A South Florida woman on the FBI’s most wanted fraudsters list was captured and faces charges. 41-year-old Elaine Escoe was charged last year with conspiracy...
FBI Most Wanted Fraud Fugitive Arrested in Jamaica Over Alleged $32M COVID Relief Scam - Internewscast Journal
Internewscast Journal Internewscast A woman listed among the FBI’s most wanted alleged COVID-19 fraud fugitives… This Post: FBI Most Wanted Fraud Fugitive Arrested in Jamaica Over Alleged $32M COVID Relief Scam first appeared on Internewscast Journal
Alleged $32M COVID fraudster arrested in Jamaica, back in US: FBI
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, arrived back in South Florida Thursday after Jamaican authorities arrested her following a federal manhunt. Prosecutors allege she helped fraudulently obtain more than $32 million in taxpayer-funded COVID-19 relief funds before fleeing the country after failing to appear in federal court. Escoe was indicted in 2025 on charges including conspiracy to...
Fugitive Behind COVID Fraud Scheme Captured by FBI
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, has been apprehended in Jamaica and extradited to the United States. She faces serious charges tied to a multimillion-dollar fraud operation related to COVID-19 funds. The post Fugitive Behind COVID Fraud Scheme Captured by FBI appeared first on News Addicts.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
