N.J. authorities break up bank-fraud ring

New Jersey authorities yesterday said they had broken up a massive bank-fraud ring organized by a street gang that used sophisticated digital equipment to steal more than $300,000 from eight banks, including branches in Burlington and Camden Counties.

A total of 33 people - including eight members of the Nine Trey Gangsters set of the Bloods - have been charged in the scheme that involved more than $654,000 in counterfeit checks, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram said.

"This investigation reveals the Bloods on new turf, defrauding banks of hundreds of thousands of dollars using counterfeit checks," Milgram said. "Just as we have targeted the financial crimes of traditional organized crime through the years, we will crush any inroads by street gangs into these activities, which could bankroll more drug dealing and death."

Although many of the ring members live in North Jersey, spokesman David Wald said, they branched out to target banks throughout the state, using payroll checks from companies that used those banks.

In some cases, multiple banks were targeted on the same day. Two checks, each for $3,485.75, were cashed on June 3, 2006, at Commerce Banks in Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel. On Aug. 21, 2006, a total of $6,830.00 was withdrawn from three Wachovia Banks in Toms River, Lakewood, and Howell Township.

In South Jersey, Linda Robinson, 30, of Bridgeton, was charged with theft by deception, among other counts.

Milgram said charges from "Operation Blood Bank" stem from a gang bust in 2007 in which 46 members of the Nine Trey Gangsters were charged with various crimes, including racketeering, drug trafficking, money laundering, and murder.