![[US] FBI seeking woman over $34m COVID-19 funds scam](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock--190461640_2dd93315-fe69-42df-a76a-7e85ac31d910_1200x.jpg?v=1758306611)
In the US, a Jamaican woman accused of stealing millions in a COVID-19 funds scam has been the subject of a federal manhunt across Florida, USA Herald reports.
FBI investigators say Elaine Angene Escoe - also known as “Annie” or “Annie Palmer” - orchestrated a massive money laundering scheme which funnelled more than $34 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Between May 2020 and November 2021, Ms Escoe and her co-conspirators allegedly submitted more than 990 fraudulent applications for federal assistance programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG).
According to the FBI, these applications contained false information about payroll, employee counts, and business revenues. As a result, the group wrongfully obtained $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds.
In its wanted notice, the FBI said, “These funds were intended to help struggling businesses survive the pandemic, but instead were exploited through deception.”
Once the fraudulent funds were disbursed, investigators say Ms Escoe and her associates directed payments to businesses they controlled, withdrew large sums of cash, and used blank, signed cheques to obscure the money trail.
The FBI reportedly believes these methods were intended to conceal the origin and true ownership of the illicit proceeds.
Ms Escoe now faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, wire fraud, and transactional money laundering. A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 22, 2025, by the U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Source: USA Herald
(Quote via original reporting)
In the US, a Jamaican woman accused of stealing millions in a COVID-19 funds scam has been the subject of a federal manhunt across Florida, USA Herald reports.
FBI investigators say Elaine Angene Escoe - also known as “Annie” or “Annie Palmer” - orchestrated a massive money laundering scheme which funnelled more than $34 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.
Between May 2020 and November 2021, Ms Escoe and her co-conspirators allegedly submitted more than 990 fraudulent applications for federal assistance programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program (EIDL), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG).
According to the FBI, these applications contained false information about payroll, employee counts, and business revenues. As a result, the group wrongfully obtained $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds.
In its wanted notice, the FBI said, “These funds were intended to help struggling businesses survive the pandemic, but instead were exploited through deception.”
Once the fraudulent funds were disbursed, investigators say Ms Escoe and her associates directed payments to businesses they controlled, withdrew large sums of cash, and used blank, signed cheques to obscure the money trail.
The FBI reportedly believes these methods were intended to conceal the origin and true ownership of the illicit proceeds.
Ms Escoe now faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, wire fraud, and transactional money laundering. A federal arrest warrant was issued on May 22, 2025, by the U.S. District Court in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Source: USA Herald
(Quote via original reporting)
