Four Charged with Fraud on City Sheriff’s Department

PHILADELPHIA—Charges were filed today against four people involved in an alleged scheme to defraud the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. Separate informations¹ were filed against Richard Bell, Robert Rogers, Jackiem Wright, and Reginald Berry. Each of the defendants is charged with one count of wire fraud; Bell is additionally charged with willfully filing a false federal income tax return.

Bell was employed in the accounting department of the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office. According to the information, between 2007 and 2010, Bell wrote fraudulent checks drawn on bank accounts of the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office to unauthorized individuals and companies. Bell forwarded over $400,000 of those checks to Rogers. Rogers cashed the checks made payable to himself. Rogers forwarded the other checks to other individuals to cash or deposit. In particular, Rogers forwarded over $147,000 in checks made payable to one company to Wright and Berry. Wright and Berry deposited those checks into the company bank account, and withdrew or attempted to withdraw the proceeds. Bell, Rogers, Wright, and Berry shared the proceeds from their fraudulent checks.

It is further alleged that Bell assisted a person known to the United States Attorney in fraudulently purchasing properties at Sheriff’s sale for only 10 percent of the bid price. Bell carried out the scheme by removing the checks that the person submitted to the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office for the remaining ninety percent before the checks were deposited. For this, Bell allegedly charged and received a fee from the person.

Information Regarding the Defendants

If convicted, Bell faces an advisory sentencing guideline range of 33 to 41 months in prison; Rogers faces an advisory sentencing guideline range of 27 to 33 months in prison; Wright and Berry each face an advisory sentencing guideline range of 15 to 21 months in prison.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, and the City of Philadelphia Office of Inspector General. The City of Philadelphia Office of the Controller has also assisted the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah L. Grieb, Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Diviny, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meriah Russell.

¹ An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.