A Jamaican national accused of helping orchestrate a massive COVID-19 relief fraud scheme worth more than $32 million is back on American soil after being captured overseas following more than a year on the run.
Federal authorities announced that Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, was returned to the United States this week after Jamaican law enforcement arrested her on behalf of U.S. officials. Investigators say Escoe is the final defendant tied to an alleged fraud operation that exploited multiple pandemic relief programs created to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Escoe arrived in South Florida on Thursday and is now in federal custody, where she will face a lengthy list of criminal charges connected to the alleged scheme.
