Wayne Bessant, $11 Million Stolen Treasury Check Conspiracy, New Jersey 2025

Twelve individuals have been charged for their roles in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud by depositing stolen checks and withdrawing the funds, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.

'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.'

- Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba

Wayne Bessant, 44, of Hamilton, New Jersey; Britany Brown, 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; John Gerard Ebert, 42, of Hamilton, New Jersey; Joseph Graves-Carmichael, 43, of Trenton, New Jersey; Andrew Hooper, 37, of New Brunswick, New Jersey; Thomas Lee, 55, of Beverly, New Jersey; Patricia Kearse, 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Clarence Semmon, 41, of Trenton, New Jersey; Ryan Small, 32, of Ewing, New Jersey; Dwayne Reddon, 39, of Trenton, New Jersey; Shabazz Rouzard, 33, of Ewing, New Jersey; and Raymond Wade, 42, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, are charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Ten Defendants appeared on November 13 before Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark Federal Court. One Defendant was already in custody on a state case and one Defendant remains at large. Two defendants appeared on November 17, 2025 before Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark Federal Court. One defendant appeared on November 17, 2025 before Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden Federal Court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from March 2023 through May 2025, the Defendants 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.

In total, the Defendants deposited or attempted to deposit approximately 84 Treasury checks, and 27 commercial checks totaling over $11 million and split the proceeds. Many of the Treasury checks were refunds issued under the Employee Retention Credit, a program the Internal Revenue Service created during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain employees.

The bank fraud conspiracy is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and also carries a fine of up to $1,000,000.

'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.'

- FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge, Stefanie Roddy

This case 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. 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 targeted these programs for their own personal gain.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/twelve-individuals-charged-11-million-stolen-treasury-check-conspiracy