12 Charged in Massive $11 Million NJ, PA Stolen Check Scheme, Feds Say

A dozen people from New Jersey and Pennsylvania have been charged in connection with a $11 million stolen check conspiracy.

The following people are each facing one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which, if convicted, could send them to prison for 30 years with a $1 million fine:

• 44-year-old Wayne Bessant of Hamilton, NJ
• 39-year-old Britany Brown of Philadelphia
• 42-year-old John Gerard Ebert of Hamilton, NJ
• 43-year-old Joseph Graves-Carmichael of Trenton
• 37-year-old Andrew Hooper of New Brunswick
• 55-year-old Thomas Lee of Beverly
• 46-year-old Patricia Kearse of Philadelphia
• 41-year-old Clarence Semmon of Trenton
• 32-year-old Ryan Small of Ewing
• 39-year-old Dwayne Reddon of Trenton
• 33-year-old Shabazz Rouzard of Ewing
• 42-year-old Raymond Wade of Morrisville, PA

How the Scheme Worked

According to federal authorities, from March 2023 through this past May, the group conspired to deposit stolen checks, including U.S. Department of Treasury checks, at various banks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The Defendants impersonated the businesses listed as payees on the stolen checks by acquiring business documents in the names of the payees. Once the Defendants acquired the fraudulent business documents, they used them to impersonate the victims and open fraudulent business bank accounts where they deposited the stolen checks.

Millions in Stolen Treasury Refund Checks

In total, the dozen deposited or attempted to deposit approximately 84 Treasury checks and 27 commercial checks totaling over $11 million and split the proceeds, per officials.

Many of the Treasury checks were refunds issued under the Employee Retention Credit, a program created by the IRS during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain employees.

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Federal Authorities Respond

Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba said in a statement, "Rooting out fraud on pandemic programs and holding the alleged perpetrators accountable continues to be a top priority of this office and our law enforcement partners."

Habba thanked the numerous law enforcement agencies that worked in this case, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations-Cherry Hill, the IRS, special agents with the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, special agents with the U.S. Air Force, and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.