A coordinated investigation by the Kearny Police Department and the Jersey City Police Department resulted in the arrest of six people accused of being part of a complicated fraud ring targeting rideshare drivers in multiple states, including Hudson County.
According to a press release from the Kearny Police Department, arrest and search warrants were carried out on May 8 in Brooklyn, Newark, and Miramar, Florida. Kearny detectives were present at all sites. The operation resulted in 280 criminal charges and the closure of 40 cases statewide, with additional charges expected.
The accused, all from Brooklyn, New York, were identified as Benshley Francillon, 24, Zamo Examo, 21, Jaden Labissiere, 21, Cedrick Alcime, 20, Walton Lawrence, 20; and Adebola Olowu. A seventh person, Michael Lawrence, 22, also from Brooklyn, has been charged but remains at large.
Investigators believe the organization targeted rideshare drivers by requesting trips with the same pickup and drop-off locations. When drivers grew confused, suspects would offer to enter a new destination on the driver’s phone before stealing the device. Suspects used the phone to access banking applications and personal data, deplete bank accounts, build false credit lines, and transfer payments to accomplices. The reported losses have approached $100,000.
“Over the years, we’ve taken down cargo theft rings, burglary crews, and cyber fraud networks, and this case is no different,” said Kearny Police Chief Scott Macfie. “Our detectives have the technology, the investigative skill, and the strategic mindset to untangle even the most sophisticated schemes. This was a true team effort, and it’s a reflection of what’s possible when experience and collaboration come together.”
Chief Macfie thanked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for its legal assistance during the two-year investigation and praised several cooperating agencies, including the Jersey City Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, the United States Marshals Service, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, MAGLOCLEN, and numerous municipal police departments in New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
