Twelve Charged in $11 Million Treasury Check Theft Across NJ and PA

Federal authorities allege multi-state conspiracy to defraud banks using stolen government and commercial checks, including COVID-era refund payments.

Twelve individuals from New Jersey and Pennsylvania have been charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to commit bank fraud involving the theft and deposit of over $11 million in government and commercial checks, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.

The defendants—residents of Hamilton, Trenton, Ewing, New Brunswick, Beverly, Philadelphia, and Morrisville—are charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Ten individuals appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court on November 13, 2025. Two others appeared before Judges José R. Almonte and Ann Marie Donio on November 17. 

One defendant remains in custody on unrelated charges, and another is currently at large.

According to court documents and statements made in federal proceedings, the conspiracy ran from March 2023 through May 2025. During that time, the defendants are accused of acquiring stolen checks—including 84 U.S. Treasury checks and 27 commercial checks—and fraudulently depositing them into newly opened bank accounts. To carry out the scheme, the group allegedly obtained business documents in the names of the legitimate payees listed on the stolen checks. These documents were then used to open false business accounts, enabling the defendants to impersonate the victims.

The total value of the checks deposited or attempted to be deposited exceeded $11 million. 

Many of the Treasury checks were related to Employee Retention Credit (ERC) refunds, a pandemic-era relief program administered by the IRS to help businesses retain employees during the COVID-19 crisis.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million, if convicted.

The investigation was a coordinated effort involving multiple federal 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

• U.S. Air Force – Office of Special Investigations, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

• U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aja Espinosa and Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

This case falls under the jurisdiction of the District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force, one of five such units created nationwide by the U.S. Department of Justice to focus on large-scale pandemic relief fraud. These strike forces employ interagency collaboration and data-driven investigations to identify individuals and groups exploiting COVID-era programs.

Members of the public with information related to suspected COVID-19-related fraud are encouraged to report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or through the DOJ’s online complaint form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud.

All individuals charged in the complaint are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.