Justice Department Charges 160 in $245 Million COVID Fraud Sweep

Q: After fleeing the country in 2025, how did international authorities finally capture the mastermind behind a $32 million relief scam?

She was captured in Jamaica after the FBI developed information and authorities there received a tip, leading Jamaican law enforcement to arrest her while she was allegedly living under the false identity “Harley Newman.” Elaine Angene Escoe, accused of helping obtain more than $32 million in fraudulent COVID-19 relief funds, had fled after failing to appear in court in 2025. Federal officials said her arrest came through a coordinated international effort involving the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, the Jamaican Constabulary Force, and Jamaica’s Fugitive Apprehension Team. After her capture, she was returned to South Florida to face charges. Authorities cited the case as part of the FBI’s “Most Wanted Fraudsters” campaign, underscoring that fugitives accused of large-scale pandemic relief fraud can still be tracked down abroad through tips, intelligence work, and cooperation with foreign police.

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 15

Federal prosecutors arrested 160 defendants between mid-June and September, with about 80 newly charged in Missouri and neighboring states in a pandemic-fraud crackdown Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Tuesday.
The cases involve more than $245 million in alleged losses tied to fraudulent COVID-19 relief and related government-payment schemes, part of a broader Trump administration push against program abuse.
Southern California prosecutors separately charged 12 operators of at-home childcare facilities with collecting more than $10 million in payments despite having few or no children enrolled.
Prosecutors said some defendants submitted childcare claims while outside the United States; one, Turkiya Alawad, allegedly collected payments during a January 2024 period when she was abroad.
The sweep also highlighted fugitive cases such as Elaine Angene Escoe, accused of stealing more than $32 million in COVID relief funds before fleeing to Jamaica in 2025.