Elaine Angene Escoe
Elaine Angene Escoe (born 15 November 1984, according to FBI records) is a Jamaican national who has been accused by United States federal authorities of participating in a large-scale fraud scheme involving COVID-19 pandemic relief programs. She is charged with multiple federal offences, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, and transactional money laundering. As of July 2026, her case has attracted international attention after the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) listed her among its Most Wanted Fraudsters.
According to the FBI, Escoe is alleged to have participated in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained more than US$34 million from several emergency financial assistance programs established by the United States government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prosecutors allege that between May 2020 and November 2021, Escoe and several co-defendants submitted more than 90 fraudulent applications seeking funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program. Authorities contend that the applications contained false information concerning business revenue, payroll expenses, and employee numbers in order to qualify for assistance.
Federal investigators allege that the scheme resulted in the wrongful disbursement of approximately US$29.1 million through the Paycheck Protection Program, US$1.2 million through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, and US$3.8 million through the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program. Prosecutors further allege that, after receiving the funds, members of the conspiracy transferred money among businesses they controlled, made payments to one another, withdrew large amounts of cash, and used signed blank cheques and other financial transactions to conceal the source of the proceeds. Escoe has denied the allegations through the legal process, and the charges remain allegations unless proven in court.
A federal arrest warrant for Escoe was issued on 22 May 2025 by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Authorities state that she was informed of a scheduled court appearance on 5 June 2025 but failed to appear. The FBI reported that she was last seen on 3 June 2025 in Palm Beach County, Florida, and considered her a flight risk because of her failure to appear. She has also been identified by the aliases "Annie" and "Annie Palmer" and is reported to have ties to both southern Florida and Jamaica.
Following her disappearance, the FBI added Escoe to its Most Wanted Fraudsters list and offered a reward of up to US$150,000 for information leading to her arrest and conviction. The case has been cited as one of the bureau's highest-profile investigations into alleged misuse of pandemic relief funding, reflecting broader efforts by U.S. authorities to recover public money distributed through emergency assistance programs established during the COVID-19 crisis.
On 25 July 2026, U.S. authorities announced that Escoe had been arrested in Jamaica and returned to the United States to face the outstanding federal charges. According to the FBI, she had allegedly been living under the false identity of Harley Newman while evading arrest.[1]
She has reportedly used the name Annie Palmer as an alias in the past. Notably, Annie Palmer is a famous name in her native Jamaica.[2]
Her criminal proceedings remain ongoing, and, under the principles of the U.S. legal system, she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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