FLORIDA (WHNT) — A Jamaican woman is accused of stealing several million dollars’ worth of COVID-19 relief funds, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said.
The FBI said Elaine Angene Escoe is wanted for her role and involvement in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to obtain over $34 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
The agency said Escoe and others reportedly submitted more than 990 fraudulent applications for funds from the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant between May 2020 and November 2021.
According to the “Wanted” announcement posted by the FBI, the applications reportedly contained false information regarding employee counts, payroll expenses and business revenues.
The scheme resulted in the wrongful disbursement of approximately $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds. 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 FBI said.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Escoe on May 22, 2025, in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, West Palm Beach, Florida, after she was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering; Wire Fraud; Concealment of Money Laundering; and Transactional Money Laundering.
The FBI said Escoe was last seen on June 3, 2025, in Palm Beach County, Florida.
She reportedly goes by the aliases of “Annie” and “Annie Palmer,” is reportedly 5’4″, 140 pounds and has brown eyes. She also has tattoos on her left wrist, abdomen, back and right shoulder.
Below are photos of Escoe, provided by the FBI.
The announcement says she should be considered a flight risk.
If you have any information concerning this person, please contact the FBI’s Toll-Free tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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