FBI says tip led to capture of Most Wanted fraudster accused in $32M COVID relief scheme
MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — A multimillion-dollar COVID relief fraud case has taken a turn after the FBI says fugitive Elaine Escoe was captured in Jamaica and returned to South Florida.
41-year-old Elaine Escoe, who was featured on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters List, was taken into custody by Jamaican authorities after investigators say they received a tip about her whereabouts.
Prosecutors say Escoe fled the country after failing to appear in court in May 2025, sparking a federal warrant for her arrest.
She was returned to the Southern District of Florida Saturday to face charges tied to an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving pandemic relief programs, per previous reports.
According to court documents, Escoe and her alleged co-conspirators submitted fraudulent applications seeking more than $32 million from programs including the Paycheck Protection Program, Restaurant Revitalization Fund, Shuttered Venue Operators Grant and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
Investigators allege the group used fake tax documents, fabricated bank records and false business information to obtain the funds. Prosecutors say some applications were submitted for fake or controlled businesses, while others involved third parties who paid kickbacks of up to 50% of the money received.
Federal officials say the proceeds were later laundered among those involved.
Escoe is the last remaining defendant charged in the alleged scheme. Several others have already been convicted or pleaded guilty, including Alfred Davis, who was sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison.
“The FBI and our partners will continue to pursue fugitives wherever they go,” U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones said. “Defendants cannot escape accountability simply by leaving the country.”
The FBI said Escoe’s arrest marks the fourth capture of a person on its Most Wanted Fraudsters List in recent weeks.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s West Palm Beach Resident Agency, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations Miami and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.