Twelve people have been charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to commit bank fraud involving more than $11 million in stolen checks, according to an announcement by Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba.
“As alleged in the complaint, the Defendants deposited stolen checks into fraudulent bank accounts for their own personal gain, taking advantage of a COVID-19 pandemic relief program earmarked for struggling businesses. 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,” said Habba.
The defendants—Wayne Bessant, Britany Brown, John Gerard Ebert, Joseph Graves-Carmichael, Andrew Hooper, Thomas Lee, Patricia Kearse, Clarence Semmon, Ryan Small, Dwayne Reddon, Shabazz Rouzard, and Raymond Wade—are charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Ten appeared before Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court on November 13; one is already in state custody and another remains at large.
Court documents indicate that from March 2023 through May 2025 the group allegedly deposited stolen checks—including U.S. Department of Treasury checks—at banks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They are accused of impersonating businesses listed as payees on the checks by obtaining business documents under those names. These documents were then used to open fraudulent business accounts where the stolen checks were deposited. In total, approximately 84 Treasury checks and 27 commercial checks totaling over $11 million were allegedly deposited or attempted to be deposited. Many Treasury checks involved refunds issued under the Employee Retention Credit program created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, each defendant faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
“Just as the twelve subjects schemed and conspired to cheat the system by depositing stolen checks meant for COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts, the FBI and our federal partners worked together to follow the facts and evidence that would lead to this charge. This case is a textbook example of the partnerships we build to prevent fraud against the Government and protect taxpayers from fraud in any form,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.
“This investigation underscores HSI’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our nation’s financial system and ensuring that those who exploit COVID-19 relief programs are held accountable,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “HSI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to uncover complex schemes targeting American taxpayers and to relentlessly dismantle the criminal networks responsible, stripping them of their illicit gains.”
“COVID-19 relief programs, including the Employee Retention Credit, were implemented to help honest Americans keep their jobs during an unprecedented time of hardship. Through deception and fraud, the Defendants allegedly stole over $11 million from the hardworking businesses these pandemic relief programs were meant to benefit,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Newark Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue to partner with our federal law enforcement colleagues to investigate those who defrauded pandemic relief programs and victimized those in need.”
The investigation involved multiple agencies: FBI Newark-Trenton Resident Agency; Homeland Security Investigations Cherry Hill; IRS Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Northeast Field Division; Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office; U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations Detachment 307 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst; and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is among five such strike forces nationwide established by the Department of Justice focusing on large-scale multi-state pandemic relief fraud involving criminal organizations or transnational actors.
Reports about attempted COVID-19-related fraud can be made via phone at 866-720-5721 or online through https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aja Espinosa and Benjamin D. Bleiberg represent the government in this case.
All charges are accusations only; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
