A Jamaican woman is accused of stealing millions in a COVID-19 funds scam, prompting a federal manhunt across Florida.
According to the FBI, investigators say Elaine Angene Escoe, also known as “Annie” or “Annie Palmer,” orchestrated a massive money laundering scheme that funneled more than $34 million in U.S. federal COVID-19 relief funds.
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Fraudulent Relief Fund Applications
Between May 2020 and November 2021, Escoe and her co-conspirators allegedly submitted over 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).
The FBI reported that 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.
