Miami woman on FBI most wanted fraudsters list captured
Elaine Angene Escoe, a 41-year-old Miami-area woman on the FBI most wanted fraudsters list, was captured in Jamaica and returned to South Florida to face federal charges tied to an alleged $32 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, authorities said. Jamaican officials acted on an FBI tip after she fled and lived under the alias "Harley Newman."
Key Takeaways
- Escoe was arrested in Jamaica and returned to the U.S. to face charges in an alleged COVID relief fraud plot exceeding $32 million.
- She was among the FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters, with a reward of up to $150,000 offered for information leading to her arrest and conviction.
- Prosecutors say she and others filed more than 90 fraudulent pandemic-aid applications between May 2020 and November 2021.
- FBI Director Kash Patel said she is the fourth alleged Most Wanted Fraudster captured in five weeks.
Who is Elaine Angene Escoe and what happened?
Escoe, 41, faces charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and money laundering counts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida and reporting from NBC 6 South Florida.
A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 22, 2025. She was last seen in Palm Beach County on June 3, 2025, and missed a scheduled court appearance two days later, officials said. Authorities allege she fled to Jamaica before her capture.
Patel told Fox News Digital she had been living under the fake identity "Harley Newman." Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said her return shows "no one is beyond the reach of American justice."
How did the alleged $32M COVID relief fraud scheme work?
Federal investigators say Escoe and co-defendants submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant funds between May 2020 and November 2021.
Applications allegedly used false employee counts, payroll, and revenue figures, plus fabricated tax documents and bank records. Some applications were submitted for third parties in exchange for kickbacks, prosecutors said.
The scheme allegedly yielded about $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds. After disbursement, Escoe and others allegedly moved money among themselves and controlled businesses, withdrew large cash sums, and used blank, signed checks to conceal the proceeds.
Escoe was the last defendant charged in the case. After a 2025 trial, Alfred Davis, Cher Davis, and Latoya Clark were convicted; James McGhow and Gino Jourdan pleaded guilty. Sentences ranged from 42 months to 235 months in prison.
Why does the FBI most wanted fraudsters crackdown matter now?
Escoe was among the first fugitives named when the FBI unveiled its Most Wanted Fraudsters list in June. The FBI Miami Division and partners coordinated with Jamaican law enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office on her return.
Patel said four alleged fraud suspects captured over five weeks face nearly $1.8 billion in charged fraud combined. Another South Florida-linked fugitive on the list, Khalid Ahmed Satary, was also recently apprehended overseas in a separate Medicare fraud case.
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