Twelve people have been charged in connection with an alleged scheme to commit bank fraud by depositing stolen checks and withdrawing the funds, according to 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 are Wayne Bessant of Hamilton, New Jersey; Britany Brown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; John Gerard Ebert of Hamilton, New Jersey; Joseph Graves-Carmichael of Trenton, New Jersey; Andrew Hooper of New Brunswick, New Jersey; Thomas Lee of Beverly, New Jersey; Patricia Kearse of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Clarence Semmon of Trenton, New Jersey; Ryan Small of Ewing, New Jersey; Dwayne Reddon of Trenton, New Jersey; Shabazz Rouzard of Ewing, New Jersey; and Raymond Wade of Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Each is 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 defendant was already in custody on another case while one remains at large.
Court documents indicate that from March 2023 through May 2025 the group allegedly conspired to deposit stolen checks—including U.S. Department of Treasury Checks—at banks in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They are accused of impersonating businesses listed as payees by obtaining business documents under those names and using them to open fraudulent business accounts where they deposited the stolen checks. The indictment states approximately 84 Treasury checks and 27 commercial checks totaling over $11 million were deposited or attempted to be deposited with proceeds divided among participants. Many Treasury checks were reportedly refunds issued under the Employee Retention Credit program created during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If convicted on conspiracy charges related to bank fraud, each defendant faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine 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,” stated 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 from 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.”
Habba credited special agents from several agencies including: FBI Newark-Trenton Resident Agency led by Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations Cherry Hill under Michael S. McCarthy; IRS Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office led by Jenifer L. Piovesan; Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Northeast Field Division led by Michael Carpenter; Defense Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office led by Christopher Silvestro (Acting); U.S Air Force – Office Of Special Investigations Detachment 307 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst led by Rebecca B Bates; as well as postal inspectors from U.S Postal Inspection Service Philadelphia Division under Christopher Nielson.
The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is part of five such teams across America established by the Department Of Justice focused on investigating large-scale multi-state pandemic-related fraud involving criminal organizations or transnational actors using prosecutor-led data-driven teams designed for identifying suspects who misused government aid funds.
Anyone with information about suspected attempts at COVID-19-related fraud can report it via phone or online through the National Center For Disaster Fraud.
Assistant U.S Attorneys Aja Espinosa and Benjamin D Bleiberg represent prosecutors on this matter out of Newark’s Economic Crimes Unit.
All allegations remain accusations until proven otherwise in court proceedings.
