Wachovia Branch In Lakewood Targeted In Scam

As reported here on TLS yesterday, members of the Bloods Street Gang were busted by authorities as part of a recent bank fraud scam. 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 On Aug. 21, 2006, a total of $6,830.00 was withdrawn from three Wachovia Banks in Toms River, Lakewood, and Howell Township. 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 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. AP