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Shemar Rogers, 22, Tariah Darby, 22, both of New Brunswick, stole more than $250,000 from more than 50 victims in a massive money laundering scheme, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said.
The two were arrested on March 30, 2021, and charged following a six-week investigation involving multiple agencies.
A court ordered search of the their home in Quincy Apartments turned up cash, jewelry, merchandise purchased with victims' funds, a 2020 BMW 430i -- all valued at more than $250,000, Ciccone said.
Law enforcement agents also seized a handgun, 12 rounds of ammunition in the weapon, 1 loose round of hollow point ammunition, checks issued in other names, a New York driver’s license in another name, and a money counter, the prosecutor said.
Five other arrests were made as part of this ongoing investigation including:
Saleeya Saldana, 18, and Ronald Wallace, 57, both of New York: arrested and charged with Attempted Theft by Deception and Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception; both third degree crimes.
Isiah Oree, 29 and Daquan Kinloch 25, both of South Carolina, and Shemar Rogers, were arrested and charged with Attempted Theft by Deception and Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception; both third degree crimes.
Rogers was charged with first degree Promoting Organized Street Crime, Theft by Deception, Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception, Money Laundering, Identity Theft, and Trafficking in Personal Identity Information; all second-degree crimes.
Darby was charged with second degree Conspiracy to Commit Theft by Deception and third-degree Money Laundering.
Assisting agencies include the Highland Park Police Department, the New Brunswick Police Department, the Toms River Police Department, the Wall Police Department, the West Hartford Police Department in Connecticut, the Salisbury Police Department in Maryland, Homeland Security Investigation – Newark Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Edison, New Jersey, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Ryan Tighe of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4335.
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