A woman listed among the FBI’s most wanted alleged COVID-19 fraud fugitives is back on U.S. soil after being caught in Jamaica, where FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital she had allegedly been hiding behind the alias “Harley Newman” while avoiding prosecution in a $32 million pandemic relief fraud case.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, was returned to South Florida on Thursday following her arrest by Jamaican authorities after a federal search. Prosecutors say Escoe played a role in illegally securing more than $32 million in taxpayer-backed COVID-19 relief money, then left the United States after failing to show up for a required federal court appearance.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Escoe was indicted in 2025 on several federal charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple money laundering counts.
Federal officials said an arrest warrant was issued after Escoe missed court in May 2025. Investigators believe she then fled to Jamaica, where authorities eventually tracked her down and arrested her after the FBI received a tip about her whereabouts.
“This Most Wanted Fraudster allegedly obtained tens of millions in COVID-19 relief, stealing critical resources from legitimate businesses during a national crisis,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told Fox News Digital.
“She fled the country believing she could escape justice but ultimately could not,” Blanche added. “Those who exploit taxpayer-funded programs will be held accountable by this Department of Justice, no matter how long it takes or where they attempt to hide.”
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Patel described Escoe’s capture as another significant win in the FBI’s widening international effort to pursue major fraud suspects, noting that she is the fourth alleged “Most Wanted Fraudster” taken into custody in the last five weeks.
“The historic success of the ‘Most Wanted Fraudster’ list continues as the FBI and our partners just captured our fourth Most Wanted Fraudster in 5 weeks, and yet another high value target returned to the US by this FBI,” Patel said. “Elaine Angene Escoe, on the run since May 2025, was captured in Jamaica while living under a fake identity of ‘Harley Newman’ — and returned to the United States today to face justice.”
Patel said Escoe is charged with being involved in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering connected to a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
He added that the FBI has returned more than 30 high-value targets to the U.S. since June. Patel said four alleged fraud suspects captured over the past five weeks are collectively charged with nearly $1.8 billion in fraud after spending more than 3,500 days on the run across three continents.
“Under this administration, fraud is no longer tolerated — and those who steal from American taxpayers have nowhere to hide,” Patel said.
Authorities said the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the US Marshals Service, Jamaican law enforcement and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office coordinated Escoe’s return to the US.
