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FBI Captures Alleged $32M COVID Fraud Fugitive in Jamaica

Authorities say Escoe was the last defendant charged in the scheme and the FBI offered a $150,000 reward for her arrest.

  • 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.
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This article was originally published on Cedarnews.net. For more exclusive news and reports, visit our website. Authorities have arrested a 41-year-old woman accused of participating in a massive fraud scheme to steal approximately $32 million in COVID-19 relief funds. According to the investigation, the woman faces several charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conducting illegal financial transactions, as par…

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VINnews broke the news on Saturday, July 25, 2026.
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