Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity

July 8,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Teaneck NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of SHANNELL GRIGGS (DOB: 04/16/1990; single; and employed as a receptionist) of 354 Bryant Avenue, Syracuse, NY and GIVONNI BUTLER (DOB: 08/21/1989; single; and unemployed) of 27 Pine Street, Passaic, NJ on charges of Computer Related Theft, Theft By Deception, Impersonation, Money Laundering, Receiving Stolen Property, and Conspiracy. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti and the Teaneck Police Department under the direction of Chief Glenn M. O’Reilly.

In December 2017, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit received a complaint of theft from the bank accounts of a recently deceased Teaneck resident. The executor of the decedent’s estate reported that the decedent’s bank accounts had been accessed by an unknown party and that approximately $375,000 had been stolen between 2015 and 2016.

During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Shannell GRIGGS, a bank employee, had unlawfully used the bank’s computerized account and customer service systems to access and take over the victim’s bank accounts. Shannell GRIGGS and her boyfriend, Givonni BUTLER, then stole approximately $375,000 through a combination of illicit debit card purchases, cash withdrawals, wire transfers, and cashier check purchases.

Shannell GRIGGS was arrested on June 29, 2018 in Syracuse, NY and charged with one count of Computer Related Theft, in an amount greater than $250,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25c, a 1st degree crime; one count of Impersonation For The Purpose Of Obtaining A Benefit, in an amount greater than $75,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17a(1), a 2nd degree crime; one count of Theft By Deception, in an amount greater than $75,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a, a 2nd degree crime; and one count of Financial Facilitation Of Criminal Activity, in an amount greater than $75,000 but less than $500,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25b(2), a 2nd degree crime. GRIGGS was taken into custody in Syracuse, NY on the New Jersey warrant and is awaiting extradition proceedings.

A warrant for the arrest of Givonni BUTLER was issued on July 3, 2018 and served on July 5, 2018 as a detainer, since BUTLER is currently serving a prison sentence in Pennsylvania on an unrelated matter. He was charged with one count of Receiving Stolen Property, with a value greater than $75,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7a, a 2nd degree crime; and one count of Conspiracy To Commit Computer Related Theft, in an amount greater than $5,000, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25c, a 2nd degree crime.

Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Acting Prosecutor Calo would like to thank the Teaneck and Syracuse Police Departments and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with this investigation.

February 3,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrests of the following individuals involved in a fraud scheme: TERRANCE HART (D.O.B. 2/22/1989, single, unemployed) of 211 S 8th Lincoln Place, Garfield, New Jersey; RASHAD BLACK (D.O.B. 12/29/1986, single, unemployed) of Hackensack, New Jersey; JAMES MILLER (D.O.B. 06/28/1987, single, unemployed) of Paterson, New Jersey; IVY HERNANDEZ (D.O.B. 4/09/1993, single, unemployed) of 211 Lincoln Place, Garfield, New Jersey; CHRISTIAN REYES (D.O.B. 1/18/1991, single, unemployed) of Secaucus, New Jersey; and TORI BEATO (D.O.B. 12/28/1992, single, unemployed) of 1538 Paterson Plank Road, Secaucus, New Jersey.

The arrests are the result of a cooperative investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Robert ANZILOTTI, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Michael SAUDINO.
In September 2017, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit was notified by the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office that Bergen County Jail Annex inmate commissary accounts were being used to receive and transfer illicit funds obtained from stolen credit cards.
A joint investigation revealed that Bergen County Jail inmates Christian REYES, James MILLER, and Rashad BLACK had used their assigned inmate commissary accounts and those of other inmates whom they enlisted, to receive illicit funds obtained through the use of stolen personal identifying information and credit cards. The information and illicit funds, which totaled in excess of $30,000, were transmitted to the suspect accounts via an internet-based commissary account system accessed by co-conspirators Terrance HART, Ivy HERNANDEZ and Tori BEATO, who were not incarcerated. A portion of the illicit funds were used by the inmates, and the remainder was transferred back to the co-conspirators through checks issued, at the inmates’ request through the jail commissary system. As a result of the investigation, other suspected accounts and victim credit cards have been identified.

As a result of the investigation:

Tori BEATO was arrested on Thursday, December 14, 2017 in Paramus, New Jersey and charged with one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; and two counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Summons, and BEATO appeared in Central Judicial Processing Court on January 3, 2018 and was released.
Christian REYES was arrested on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at the Bergen County Jail Annex in Hackensack, New Jersey, and charged with one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; and two counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Warrant and REYES was released on his own recognizance.
Ivy HERNANDEZ was arrested on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 in Paramus, New Jersey and charged with one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Fraudulent Use, Distribution, Manufacture, and/or Possession of Items Containing the Personal Identification Information of Another (Trafficking in Stolen Identities), ten or more items pertaining to five or more persons, N.J.S.A. 2C:17.3, a 2nd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity (Money Laundering), N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, a 3rd degree crime; and four counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Summons, and HERNANDEZ is scheduled to appear in Central Judicial Processing Court at 8:30 a.m. on February 14, 2018.

Rashad BLACK was arrested on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the Bergen County Jail Annex in Hackensack, New Jersey and charged with one count of Fraudulent Use, Distribution, Manufacture, and/or Possession of Items Containing the Personal Identification Information of Another (Trafficking in Stolen Identities), ten or more items pertaining to five or more persons, N.J.S.A. 2C:17.3, a 2nd degree crime; one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity (Money Laundering), N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, a 3rd degree crime; and four counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Summons, and BLACK is scheduled to appear in Central Judicial Processing Court at 8:30 a.m. on February 14, 2018.

James MILLER was arrested on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at the Bergen County Jail Annex in Hackensack, New Jersey and charged with one count of Fraudulent Use, Distribution, Manufacture, and/or Possession of Items Containing the Personal Identification Information of Another (Trafficking in Stolen Identities), ten or more items pertaining to five or more persons, N.J.S.A. 2C:17.3, a 2nd degree crime; one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity (Money Laundering), N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, a 3rd degree crime; and four counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Summons, and MILLER is scheduled to appear in Central Judicial Processing Court at 8:30 a.m. on February 14, 2018.

Terrance HART was arrested on Friday, February 2, 2018 in Paramus, New Jersey and charged with one count of Fraudulent Use, Distribution, Manufacture, and/or Possession of Items Containing the Personal Identification Information of Another (Trafficking in Stolen Identities), ten of more items pertaining to five or more persons, N.J.S.A. 2C:17.3, a 2nd degree crime; one count of Using a Stolen or Fraudulently Obtained Credit Card, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6H, a 3rd degree crime; one count of Impersonation, N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17A(1), a 3rd degree crime; one count of Financial Facilitation of Criminal Activity (Money Laundering), N.J.S.A. 2C:21-25, a 3rd degree crime; and four counts of Conspiracy, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2, a 3rd degree crime. The complaint was issued as a Summons, and HART is scheduled to appear in Central Judicial Processing Court at 8:30 a.m. on February 14, 2018.

Acting Prosecutor Calo states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.