4 Mercer County Men Accused Of $1.4 Million In Fraud: Authorities

Four Mercer County men and six of their associated businesses participated in a scheme that included the deposit of $1.4 million in phony or forged checks related to insurance claims, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor announced.

Trenton residents Wayne M. Bessant, Reyshauwn Barlow, Rayshawn Kelly, and Rashon Smith and their associated companies - Hoffman Restoration, LLC; Best Way Restoration, LLC; Wayne Enterprises Since 1981; Fast Cash Investments, LLC; JLaw & Investors, LLC; and Group of LJNMB&W, LLC - were charged in an indictment handed by a state Grand Jury in Trenton this week, authorities said.

They are accused of setting up several phony bank accounts with West Deptford-based People’s Property Adjusters. The company assists insureds in submitting claims against homeowner insurance policies.

They used the phony accounts to deposit forged insurance payout checks stolen from People’s Property Adjusters, authorities said. They also deposited phony People’s Property Adjusters checks purportedly made out to bank accounts they controlled, authorities said.

They then used those phony accounts to transfer the illicit funds to other bank accounts, official checks, and/or other financial instruments under the control of the four men or companies associated with them, according to the indictment. The defendants are charged as follows:

• Wayne M. Bessant, 38, Trenton. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Misconduct by a Corporate Official (3 counts 2nd degree); Theft by Deception (6 counts 2nd degree; 1 count 3rd degree); Attempted Theft by Deception ( 4 counts 2nd degree, 1 count 3rd degree); Forgery (29 counts 3rd degree).
• Reyshauwn D. Barlow, 31, Trenton. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Impersonation of an Organization Representative (2nddegree); Theft by Deception (3 counts 2nd degree); Attempted Theft by Deception (3 counts 2rd degree); Forgery (29 counts 3rd degree).
• Rayshawn Kelly, 43, Trenton. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Misconduct by a Corporate Official (3rd degree); Theft by Deception (2 counts 2nd degree); Attempted Theft by Deception (2 counts 2nd degree); Forgery (29 counts 3rd degree).
• Rashon Smith, 34, Trenton. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Impersonation of an Organization Representative (2nd degree); Theft by Deception (2nd degree).
• Hoffman Restoration, LLC, Trenton, Owned and operated by Wayne Bessant. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Theft by Deception (2nd degree).
• Best Way Restoration, LLC, Trenton, Owned and operated by Wayne Bessant. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree).
• Wayne Enterprises Since 1981, Trenton, Owned and operated by Wayne Bessant. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree).
• Fast Cash Investments, LLC, Trenton, Owned and operated by Rayshawn Kelly. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Theft by Deception (, 2 counts 3rd degree); Attempted Theft by Deception (2 counts 2nd degree).
• Group of LJNMB&W, LLC, Hamilton, Owned and operated by Reyshauwn Barlow. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Attempted Theft by Deception (2nd degree).
• JLaw & Investors, LLC, Levittown, PA. Conspiracy (1st degree); Money Laundering (2 counts 1st degree); Theft by Deception (3rd degree); Attempted Theft by Deception (3rd degree).