Elaine Angene Escoe, a 41-year-old from Palm Beach County, Florida, was apprehended in Jamaica and returned to the United States on Saturday to face federal charges related to her alleged involvement in a COVID-19 relief fund fraud scheme valued at more than $32 million.
Escoe was added to the FBI's "Most Wanted Fraudsters" list on June 8, 2026, and was discovered less than two months later living under the alias "Harley Newman."
The indictment against her dates back to 2025, with charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and several substantive counts of both offenses.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 22, 2025, but Escoe did not appear for her June 5 court date that year and fled to Jamaica. She was last seen on June 3 in Palm Beach County.
Court records indicate that Escoe and her co-conspirators submitted over 90 fraudulent applications between May 2020 and November 2021 to programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).
The applications contained false information regarding employee numbers, payroll expenses, and business revenues, supported by fabricated tax documents and bank records.
The fraud breakdown includes approximately $29.1 million from PPP funds, $1.2 million from RRF, and $3.8 million from SVOG. In certain instances, co-conspirators collected commissions of up to 50% of the funds obtained on behalf of third parties.
Her capture was the result of a coordinated operation involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, Jamaica Constabulary Force, and Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team, following a tip-off regarding her whereabouts.
FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized on Saturday that Escoe is the fourth fugitive captured in five weeks as part of the "Most Wanted Fraudsters" program.
"In just five weeks, we have apprehended four individuals with combined charges totaling nearly $1.8 billion in fraud, each having evaded capture for more than 3,500 days while hiding abroad," Patel stated.
Escoe is the only defendant in the case yet to be tried. Her five co-defendants have already been sentenced: Alfred Davis received the harshest penalty with 235 months of imprisonment after being found guilty in a December 2025 trial alongside Cher Davis and Latoya Clark. James McGhow and Gino Jourdan previously pleaded guilty and received sentences of 42 and 46 months, respectively.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Miami's West Palm Beach Resident Agency, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and the Palm Beach County State's Attorney's Office.
Jason A. Reding Quiñones, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, was firm in his remarks regarding the arrest: "Defendants cannot escape accountability simply by leaving the country. Thanks to the determined efforts of our federal, state, and international partners, she is back in South Florida and will now face the charges against her."
Key Questions About the COVID Relief Fraud Case
What charges is Elaine Angene Escoe facing?
Elaine Angene Escoe faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money, and several substantive counts of both offenses related to the COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
How was Escoe finally captured?
Escoe was captured through a coordinated operation involving the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, the Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, Jamaica Constabulary Force, and Jamaica Fugitive Apprehension Team, following a tip-off about her location.
What was the total amount involved in the fraudulent scheme?
The fraudulent scheme involved more than $32 million in COVID-19 relief funds, including approximately $29.1 million from PPP funds, $1.2 million from RRF, and $3.8 million from SVOG.