A woman listed among the FBI’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” has been arrested in Jamaica and extradited to the United States to face charges over her alleged involvement in a multimillion-dollar COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, was returned to South Florida after Jamaican authorities apprehended her based on intelligence provided by the FBI.
She is facing charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, concealment money laundering and transactional money laundering.
According to investigators, Jamaican law enforcement tracked down Escoe after receiving a tip linked to information developed by the FBI.
The bureau had previously announced a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to her arrest and conviction.
Escoe was among the first eight fugitives featured on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” list unveiled by FBI Director Kash Patel in June.
Authorities said she was last seen in Palm Beach County on June 3, 2025. Although she was expected to appear in court two days later, she failed to do so. A federal arrest warrant had already been issued for her on May 22, 2025.
Prosecutors alleged that between May 2020 and November 2021, Escoe and several accomplices submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications seeking financial assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG).
Investigators claimed the applications contained fabricated details relating to employee numbers, payroll costs and business income.
The alleged scheme led to the fraudulent release of about $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and $3.8 million from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant programme.
Authorities further alleged that after receiving the money, Escoe and her co-conspirators transferred funds among themselves and companies under their control, withdrew large amounts of cash and used pre-signed blank cheques to disguise the source of the proceeds.
Escoe is the final defendant charged in the case.
Following a trial in 2025, Alfred Davis, Cher Davis and Latoya Clark were convicted by a federal jury, while James McGhow and Gino Jourdan had earlier pleaded guilty.
Court records show Alfred Davis was sentenced to 235 months in prison, Cher Davis to 87 months, Latoya Clark to 70 months, Gino Jourdan to 46 months and James McGhow to 42 months.
