FBI's most wanted fraudster found in Jamaica, extradited to U.S.

A Jamaican woman, Elaine Angene Escoe, has been extradited to the United States to face charges related to a significant fraud scheme. Escoe, 41, was apprehended in Jamaica, where she had been hiding since 2025. She was a fugitive on the FBI's list of most wanted fraudsters and will now face a tribunal in the Southern District of Florida for multiple counts of fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleges that Escoe was part of a group that illicitly obtained over $32 million from economic assistance programs established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal investigators claim the organization submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications using falsified information to access these funds. The scheme allegedly involved fabricating details about businesses, employee numbers, incomes, payrolls, and commercial activities. To support these false claims, the implicated individuals reportedly created altered financial documents, including tax records and bank statements. Prosecutors also stated that some applications were processed for third parties, with the organizers demanding payments, sometimes up to 50% of the received funds, in exchange for securing loan approvals. Funds were then laundered through inter-account transfers, cash withdrawals, and checks to obscure their trail. The search for Escoe intensified after she failed to appear for a court hearing in Florida in June 2025, leading to a federal arrest warrant. Authorities determined she had left the U.S. and was reportedly using the false identity "Harley Newman" in Jamaica, along with aliases "Annie" and "Annie Palmer." The FBI had offered a reward of up to $150,000 for information leading to her capture. A tip received by Jamaican authorities ultimately led to her arrest and subsequent extradition in a joint operation between the two countries. Acting Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, "This scammer, one of the most wanted, allegedly obtained tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief, stealing essential resources from legitimate businesses during a national crisis."

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This scammer, one of the most wanted, allegedly obtained tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief, stealing essential resources from legitimate businesses during a national crisis.