Eight people pleaded guilty, officials said, to charges involved after law enforcement officials busted up an $11 million stolen check scheme.
According to the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office, eight people pled guilty to bank fraud charges involved in the scheme:
Britany Brown, 39, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on July 21, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2026.
Clarence Semmon, 42, of Trenton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 21, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 9, 2026.
Joseph Graves-Carmichael, 43, of Trenton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 9, 2026.
Andrew Hooper, 38, of New Brunswick, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 7, 2026.
Thomas Lee, 56, of Beverly, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2026.
Patricia Kearse, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 7, 2026.
Shabazz Rouzard, 34, of Ewing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2026.
John Gerard Ebert, 42, of Hamilton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on August 4, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2026.
According to court documents, the group operated a scheme from March of 2023 through June of 2025, in which they worked together to deposit stolen checks — including checks from the U.S. Department of Treasury — at banks throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
In this effort, officials said, the eight impersonated businesses or individuals listed on stolen checks, often by acquiring business documents in the names of the actual payees, in order to deposit stolen checks and share the proceeds.
All together, the group deposited more than 100 checks totaling over $11 million, officials said.
Many of the checks were issued through an IRS program created during the COVID-19 pandemic to retain employees, officials said.