Posted on 07/26/2026 7:51:21 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
This is another example, in a series of examples, of the FBI’s resolve to bring financial fraudsters to justice. Elaine Angene Escoe was wanted for her alleged involvement in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Escoe on May 22, 2025, in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. Escoe failed to appear to her court appearance on June 5, 2025. The FBI had information indicating that Escoe had fled to Jamaica and she was captured by authorities in Jamaica after they received a tip. This investigation and the eventual capture of Escoe was done in partnership with:
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Vance knows how to get things done, unlike his feckless and useless "Border Czar" predecessor.
Here's some background via Claude. As suspected, this fraudster criminal is a FOREIGN NATIONAL. Surprise, surprise.
Note that EIGHT law enforcement entities cooperated to find and capture this criminal. That's impressive. I've noticed that there is a lot more international cooperation lately to find and extradite criminals to the U.S.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, is a Jamaica-born woman who lived in South Florida and was charged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $32 million (reported by federal authorities as approximately $34.1 million across all programs) in federal COVID-19 relief funds. She was named to the FBI's Most Wanted Fraudsters list, fled to Jamaica after a federal warrant was issued, and was ultimately captured and returned to the United States to face charges.
Escoe was born on November 15, 1984, in Jamaica. She is a Jamaican national who later lived in Miami/South Florida. Based on available reporting, Escoe is described as a Jamaican national, born in Jamaica, not as a U.S. citizen — none of the sources refer to her as American. No source explicitly confirms her citizenship status (e.g., whether she holds dual citizenship or a green card), so this is what's reported rather than a documented legal status.
Escoe faces multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment of money laundering, and transactional money laundering.
Between May 2020 and November 2021, Escoe and five co-defendants submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications for assistance under several pandemic-era relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The applications falsely represented the existence, payroll, revenue, and operations of purported businesses in order to qualify for and maximize federal relief funding.
The alleged conspiracy caused approximately $29.1 million in wrongful Paycheck Protection Program disbursements, approximately $3.8 million in Shuttered Venue Operators Grant awards, and approximately $1.2 million in Restaurant Revitalization Fund payments.
After the funds were disbursed, Escoe and her co-conspirators allegedly directed payments to each other and to businesses they controlled, withdrew large sums in cash, and used blank, signed checks to conceal the origin and nature of the proceeds.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Escoe on May 22, 2025, in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida. She failed to appear for a court date on June 5, 2025, and the FBI developed information that she had fled to Jamaica, where she was living under a fake identity, "Harley Newman." The FBI offered a $150,000 reward and placed her on its Most Wanted Fraudsters list. Acting on a tip and information developed by the FBI, Jamaican authorities captured Escoe in Jamaica, and FBI Special Agents returned her to South Florida to face charges.
Alfred Davis, Cher Davis, and Latoya Clark were convicted by a federal jury in a 2025 trial (Alfred Davis received a sentence of 235 months in prison). James McGhow and Gino Jourdan had previously pleaded guilty.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, is a Jamaica-born woman who lived in South Florida and was charged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $32 million (reported by federal authorities as approximately $34.1 million across all programs) in federal COVID-19 relief funds. She was named to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list, fled to Jamaica after a federal warrant was issued, and was ultimately captured and returned to the United States to face charges.
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so, was any of the loot recovered?
You gotta jump down
Turn around
Steal a bunch of money
Jump down
Turn around
Steal a mil a day
You gotta jump down
Turn around
Steal the federal money
Jump down
Turn around
Thats the commie way…..😂🤪
AND I had my business shut down and didn’t get a penny in “relief.” All around people like her got millions. Legally. She just got greedy.
It is SO infuriating! Whoever was in charge of distributing all that money denied legitimate claims and instead paid the fraudsters, charlatans, mountebanks, crooks, cheats, scoundrels, etc.
Did they have the local constabulary play a prominent role in solving the case? A La Death in Paradise?
The thing that’s not happening is happening again - Dan bongino
Welcome to Jamaica have a nice day...
Another day, another tens of millions in fraud.
Background
Escoe was born on November 15, 1984, in Jamaica. She is a Jamaican national who later lived in Miami/South Florida. Based on available reporting, Escoe is described as a Jamaican national, born in Jamaica, not as a U.S. citizen — none of the sources refer to her as American. No source explicitly confirms her citizenship status (e.g., whether she holds dual citizenship or a green card), so this is what’s reported rather than a documented legal status.
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another illegal immigrant fraudster?
It is SO infuriating! Whoever was in charge of distributing all that money denied legitimate claims and instead paid the fraudsters, charlatans, mountebanks, crooks, cheats, scoundrels, etc.
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kinda like like FEMA skipping over claims on homes in the path of hurricane helene if you had a MAGA or trump sign in your yard?
For all its faults, Jamaica appears to realize that pissing off the US isn’t a good idea. They arrested and allowed the extradition of a Jamaican citizen to face justice here.
“For all its faults, Jamaica appears to realize that pissing off the US isn’t a good idea. “
One? Years ago?
“I LOVE seeing President Trump’s and VP Vance’s efforts to root out corruption and fraud and especially love that they are delivering results.”
“Vance knows how to get things done, unlike his feckless and useless “Border Czar” predecessor.”
” I’ve noticed that there is a lot more international cooperation lately to find and extradite criminals to the U.S”
It’s a beautiful thing. More please.
“kinda like like FEMA skipping over claims on homes in the path of hurricane helene if you had a MAGA or trump sign in your yard?”
The Biden administration was rotten to the core.
“another illegal immigrant fraudster?”
The lack of information would imply that. These stories should always include that important bit of info. Plus how the person got here, under what Pres, how they became illegal (overstayed visa, snuck in, married their brother, etc).
In some of the photos showing Elaine Angene Escoe as having been nabbed by the authorities, it looks like she is dressed for Antarctica, and not Jamaica. What’s up with that? Part of her fraud routine?
Why the heck did it Kash Patel’s FBI so long to capture her? Patel is useless, he’s got to go......./s
“several pandemic-era relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG).”
Here’s an idea...how about none of these programs even exist? This is just a glaring example of how boated our government has become, under weak leadership.
People need to learn to fend for themselves, save for a rainy day, act responsibly.
Cut all funding to all of these, and 10,000 other programs, and the fraud will disappear.
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