EXCLUSIVE: Alleged $32M COVID-19 fraud fugitive captured in Jamaica and returned to US, FBI says

FIRST ON FOX: One of the FBI's astir wanted alleged COVID-19 fraud fugitives has been returned to the United States aft authorities captured her successful Jamaica, wherever FBI Director Kash Patel told Fox News Digital she had been surviving nether the fake individuality "Harley Newman" portion evading charges tied to a $32 cardinal pandemic alleviation fraud scheme.

Elaine Angene Escoe, 41, arrived backmost successful South Florida Thursday aft Jamaican authorities arrested her pursuing a national manhunt. Prosecutors allege she helped fraudulently get much than $32 cardinal successful taxpayer-funded COVID-19 alleviation funds earlier fleeing the state aft failing to look successful national court.

Escoe was indicted successful 2025 connected charges including conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud, ligament fraud, conspiracy to perpetrate wealth laundering and aggregate counts of wealth laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.

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Elaine Angene Escoe is accused of participating successful a strategy that allegedly defrauded national COVID-19 alleviation programs of much than $32 million. Authorities accidental she was returned to the United States aft being captured successful Jamaica. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Federal prosecutors said a justice issued an apprehension warrant aft Escoe failed to look successful tribunal successful May 2025. Authorities allege she fled to Jamaica, wherever she was aboriginal located and arrested aft the FBI received a tip.

"Elaine Angene Escoe's apprehension and instrumentality to the United States demonstrates that nary 1 is beyond the scope of American justice," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.

Blanche said Escoe is accused of participating successful a multimillion-dollar strategy to defraud taxpayer-funded COVID-19 alleviation programs and said the Justice Department volition proceed prosecuting those who bargain from the American people.

FBI NABS ALLEGED $547M MEDICARE FRAUD FUGITIVE OVERSEAS, THIRD CAPTURE FROM 'MOST WANTED FRAUDSTERS' LIST

A much caller FBI-provided representation of Elaine Angene Escoe, who authorities accidental was arrested successful Jamaica aft allegedly fleeing the United States portion facing national fraud charges. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Patel called Escoe's apprehension different milestone successful the FBI's planetary fraud crackdown, saying she is the 4th alleged "Most Wanted Fraudster" captured successful the past 5 weeks.

"The historical occurrence of the 'Most Wanted Fraudster' database continues arsenic the FBI and our partners conscionable captured our 4th Most Wanted Fraudster successful 5 weeks, and yet different precocious worth people returned to the U.S. by this FBI," Patel said. "Elaine Angene Escoe, connected the tally since May 2025, was captured successful Jamaica portion surviving nether a fake individuality of 'Harley Newman' — and returned to the United States contiguous to look justice."

Patel said Escoe is charged with being progressive successful a conspiracy to perpetrate ligament fraud and wealth laundering connected to a strategy that fraudulently obtained much than $32 cardinal successful national COVID-19 alleviation funds.

He added that the FBI has returned much than 30 high-value targets to the U.S. since June. Patel said 4 alleged fraud suspects captured implicit the past 5 weeks are collectively charged with astir $1.8 cardinal successful fraud aft spending much than 3,500 days connected the tally crossed 3 continents.

FILE - FBI Director Kash Patel said Escoe's apprehension marks the 4th alleged "Most Wanted Fraudster" captured successful the past 5 weeks. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

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"Under this administration, fraud is nary longer tolerated — and those who bargain from American taxpayers person obscurity to hide," Patel said.

Authorities said the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, Jamaican instrumentality enforcement and the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office coordinated Escoe's instrumentality to the U.S.