A dozen people have been charged after allegedly working together to steal millions from a program created during the COVID pandemic meant to help businesses, according to the New Jersey District Attorney’s Office.
The people involved are accused of obtaining official documents of various businesses and then using those documents to steal checks and deposit the money into fake bank accounts that they opened in New Jersey and in Pennsylvania, officials said.
These crimes happened between March 2023 and March 2025, officials explained. Many of the stolen checks were issued through the Treasury Department’s Employee Retention Credit which was meant to help businesses keep their employees during COVID.
“COVID-19 relief programs, including the Employee Retention Credit, were implemented to help honest Americans keep their jobs during an unprecedented time of hardship,” IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan said in a statement.
Officials reported that the group allegedly stole 84 checks from the Treasury Department and 27 commercial checks totally over $11 million which was divided among the suspects.
The following people have been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud:
- Wayne Bessant, 44, of Hamilton, NJ
- Britany Brown, 39, of Philadelphia, Pa.
- John Gerard Ebert, 42, of Hamilton, NJ
- Joseph Graves-Carmichael, 43, of Trenton, NJ
- Andrew Hooper, 37, of New Brunswick, NJ
- Thomas Lee, 55, of Beverly, NJ
- Patricia Kearse, 46, of Philadelphia, Pa.
- Clarence Semmon, 41, of Trenton, NJ
- Ryan Small, 32, of Ewing, NJ
- Dwayne Reddon, 39, of Trenton, NJ
- Shabazz Rouzard, 33, of Ewing, NJ
- Raymond Wade, 42, of Morrisville, Pa.
Each alleged suspect could face up to 30 years in prison as well as up to $1 million in fines.
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