The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched a manhunt for a Jamaican national, Elaine Angene Escoe, who is wanted on federal charges related to an alleged $34 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
The 40-year-old, based in Florida, has been placed on the FBI's most wanted list after she failed to attend a scheduled court hearing on June 5, as stated in a recent announcement by the bureau.
According to the Daily Caller, Escoe faces multiple charges, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, concealment of money laundering, and transactional money laundering.
The FBI's investigation suggests that Escoe was part of a group that submitted over 90 fraudulent applications for financial relief from various federal programs, such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG), spanning from May 2020 to November 2021.
The fraudulent applications reportedly contained falsified details regarding business revenues and employee numbers. This alleged scheme led to the improper allocation of approximately $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds. The FBI's poster highlights that, "
After the funds were disbursed, Escoe and others 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."
The EIDL program was designed to support struggling small businesses and nonprofits with loans up to $2 million. However, a 2021 report from the Small Business Administration's inspector general revealed that applicants from foreign countries might have received up to $1.3 billion in total COVID-19 funding.
Escoe was last seen on June 3 in the vicinity of Palm Beach County, Florida. The FBI is actively seeking information on her current location. Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Escoe's immigration status.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges in safeguarding taxpayer dollars from fraudulent activities, particularly in times of crisis when government relief programs are most vulnerable to exploitation.
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